Fibromyalgia
Written by Ada’s Medical Knowledge Team
Updated on
Overview
- Fibromyalgia is a common condition that causes chronic pain
- People with underlying health conditions and relatives with fibromyalgia are at a higher risk of developing the condition
- Fibromyalgia treatment is primarily focused on relieving the symptoms
Fibromyalgia is a common condition that can happen to anyone, although its more commonly diagnosed in women, and often between the ages of 25 and 55.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition, but it is still hard to diagnose because there is no single blood test or scan for it. People often need time, medical evaluation, and ruling out other causes before they get answers. It can cause long-lasting pain in several parts of the body, fatigue, and concentration issues.
Around 2 in every 100 adults globally may have fibromyalgia. Estimates vary because studies use different diagnostic criteria.
Around 4 million U.S. adults are estimated to have fibromyalgia, according to NIH/CDC-linked public health information.
Fibromyalgia sits within a much larger chronic-pain picture: in 2023, 24.3% of U.S. adults had chronic pain, and 8.5% had pain that frequently limited life or work activities.
In this guide by Ada’s medical team, you will find more information on fibromyalgia, its causes, symptoms, and treatment options.
What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition which can happen to anyone. It is also sometimes referred to as the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Fibromyalgia causes pain and tenderness. The pain can be located in any part of the body and is often widespread. Usually, this condition develops in middle-aged people, although it can appear at any age. 1 2
What does fibromyalgia feel like?
The main symptoms of fibromyalgia are long-lasting pain which can be felt in a specific area of the body or in multiple areas. Fibromyalgia pain can be felt in the arms, shoulders, legs, head, neck, chest, abdomen, back, and buttocks. Fibromyalgia can feel like an aching, burning, or throbbing feeling in these body parts. The area that hurts often feels tender to the touch. The pain of fibromyalgia is often combined with feeling tired and having trouble sleeping. 1
If you have fibromyalgia, then you may also experience:
- Stiffness in your muscles and joints
- Numbness or tingling in the arms and legs
- Difficulty concentrating - also known as fibro-fog
- Memory issues
- Sensitivity to light, noise, odors, and temperature
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Feelings of frustration or worry
Fibromyalgia symptoms may come and go but are usually of chronic nature. This means that they are present for a long period of time. 1
Who is being suggested fibromyalgia?
The demographic profile of Ada's fibromyalgia assessments has remained consistent: 75,9% female of assessments over the last years, 24,1% are male.
Median age: 35 in both males and females.
Here's what the data shows:
Stat | Figure |
|---|---|
Share of assessments from men | 24.1% |
Share of assessments from women | 75.9% |
Median age | 35 |
The most common presenting complaints from people who are suggested fibromyalgia as a possible condition in the Ada assessment:
- fatigue - 44.6%
- headache - 29.2%
- myalgia / muscle pain - 21.2%
- abdominal pain and generalized joint pain, each around - 18.4% and 18.2%
- dizziness, impaired concentration, back pain, reduced performance, sleep difficulty, chest pain, and dyspnea also appear.
Source: Ada Health anonymised, aggregated platform data. Ada is a CE-marked Class IIa medical device.
Methodology
This analysis is based on anonymized, aggregated data from Ada Health's clinical symptom assessment platform. Ada does not diagnose fibromyalgia and the data reflects symptom-checking behaviour, not prevalence.
What causes fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia's causes are still being studied. Research suggests that the main cause of fibromyalgia would be changes to certain chemicals that support the transmission and receipt of pain. These changes could explain the altered sensation of pain, sleep issues, and concentration problems. Scientists also think that fibromyalgia is genetic, although research into the genes that are involved is still ongoing.
Who is more at risk to get fibromyalgia?
Research suggests that some people are born with a genetic predisposition that makes them more susceptible to fibromyalgia. However, the condition typically requires a 'trigger'—like a physical injury or infection—to begin. It is also very common for fibromyalgia to occur alongside other conditions, such as: ref1
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Lupus
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Osteoarthritis
- Chronic back pain
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Injury
- Infection
How to test for fibromyalgia
A fibromyalgia diagnosis can be made by your healthcare provider. There is no fibromyalgia test available to diagnose the condition, so your healthcare provider will provide you with a diagnosis based on the symptoms you’re experiencing. In order to do so, your healthcare provider will ask you questions about the pain you’re experiencing, the severity of your symptoms, and their duration. Other medical conditions that can cause similar symptoms will also need to be ruled out.4
How to treat fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia treatment is aimed at relieving the symptoms you’re experiencing in order to improve your quality of life. This can be achieved through lifestyle changes such as maintaining an active lifestyle and dealing with stress in a healthy way.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can also significantly improve day-to-day life for those dealing with long-term pain.
There are specific medications approved to treat fibromyalgia pain, including certain anticonvulsants and antidepressants that help regulate pain signals in the brain. 5
Wrapping up
Fibromyalgia is a long-lasting condition that affects many people. It can cause widespread pain in several parts of the body, as well as other symptoms such as concentration issues, stiffness, and fatigue. Although the condition can’t be cured, treatment options do exist in order to improve the symptoms.
Other names for fibromyalgia
- Diffuse myofascial pain syndrome
- Fibromyalgia-fibromyositis syndrome
- Fibromyalgia syndrome
- FMS
- Muscular rheumatism
Fibromyalgia FAQs
Q: What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?
A: Fibromyalgia can cause long-lasting pain which is usually widespread. Other signs of fibromyalgia are stiffness in the muscles and joints, tiredness, and concentration issues.
Q: Where does fibromyalgia hurt?
A: Fibromyalgia pain can be felt in any part of the body. Usually, it’s felt as an aching, burning, or throbbing feeling in the arms, shoulders, legs, head, neck, chest, abdomen, back, or buttocks.
Q: Is there any cure for fibromyalgia?
A: Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, there are several ways to improve your symptoms. You can relieve your symptoms with tailored exercise programs and dealing with stress in a healthy way. In some cases, your healthcare provider may prescribe you with antidepressants.
Q: Is fibromyalgia genetic?
A: Scientists believe that genetics may play a role, with the condition appearing to run in some families.
Q: What happens if you don’t treat fibromyalgia?
A: Fibromyalgia flares-periods where pain and fatigue worsen can get more severe, so it is recommended to make lifestyle alterations in order to keep your symptoms under control.
Q: Why does my whole body hurt?
A: Fibromyalgia can be a possible cause of pain all over your body, although other conditions can cause this symptom as well. Your healthcare provider can ask you additional questions and perform tests in order to provide you with a diagnosis.