What Is Fibromyalgia Syndrome?
Fibromyalgia syndrome (also known as FMS or just fibromyalgia) is a syndrome, rather than a disease. Unlike a disease, which is a medical condition with a specific cause or causes and recognizable signs and symptoms, a syndrome is a collection of signs, symptoms, and medical problems that tend to occur together but are not related to a specific, identifiable cause.
Fibromyalgia syndrome is a common and chronic disorder characterized by widespread muscle pain, fatigue, and multiple tender points. The word fibromyalgia comes from the Latin term for fibrous tissue (fibro) and the Greek terms for muscle (myo) and pain (algia). Tender points are specific places on the body -- on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, and upper and lower extremities -- where people with fibromyalgia syndrome feel pain in response to slight pressure.
Although fibromyalgia syndrome is often considered an
arthritis-related condition, it is not truly a form of arthritis (a disease of the joints) because it does not cause inflammation or damage to the joints, muscles, or other tissues. However, like arthritis, fibromyalgia syndrome can cause significant pain and fatigue, and it can interfere with a person's ability to carry out daily activities. Also, like arthritis, fibromyalgia is considered a rheumatic condition.
You may wonder what exactly rheumatic means. Even healthcare providers do not always agree on whether a disease is considered rheumatic. If you look up the word in the dictionary, you'll find it comes from the Greek word rheum, which means flux -- not an explanation that gives you a better understanding. In medicine, however, the term rheumatic means a medical condition that impairs the joints and/or soft tissues and causes chronic pain.
FMS affects 3 million to 6 million people, or as many as 1 in every 50 Americans. For unknown reasons, between 80 percent and 90 percent of those diagnosed with fibromyalgia are women; however, men and children also can be affected. Most people are diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome during middle age, though the symptoms often become present earlier in life.
Several studies indicate that women who have a family member with FMS are more likely to have fibromyalgia themselves, but the exact reason for this is unknown. Fibromyalgia syndrome could have a hereditary component (having to do with a certain gene or genes that family members have in common) or it could be linked to factors in the environment.
More Information on Fibromyalgia Syndrome
You can read more about fibromyalgia syndrome by clicking on any of the article links below. These include articles about
fibromyalgia causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments (including alternative treatments).
