What Are the Causes of Fibromyalgia?

Well in plain and simple language, there really is no known cause for fibromyalgia. Without an identified cause of this syndrome, it technically has no cure. The good news is that the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be treated effectively, however fibromyalgia in its full clinical picture seldom enters spontaneous remission. Theories for causes of fibromyalgia abound in the medical research and literature, each one a subject of hot debate among rheumatologists. If the real cause of fibromyalgia were known, this would result in a great deal more efficient treatment of symptoms, and might even result in remission. However,at this time, it just is not the case.

What Do We Know About The Cause Of Fibromyalgia?

It is analyzing and researching the cluster of symptoms of this syndrome that might eventually lead to discovering the cause of fibromyalgia. Some of the questions that are asked are why are 80% of sufferers adult women in their 30's and 40's, why is depression such a major symptom of fibromyalgia, and why does Fibromyalgia symptoms have several similarities with the symptoms of systemic lupus. Another question is why do individuals with fibromyalgia nearly always have a close relation who also suffers from the syndrome, and why is it that none of the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be externally detected on laboratory tests, An addition question would be why does the complete fibromyalgia profile include symptoms such as pain in trigger points on the body, chronic fatigue, Sjogren's syndrome (excessive dryness of the eyes and mucous membranes), lack of restorative sleep, sensitivity to heat and cold, morning muscle and joint stiffness and pain, increased symptoms during periods of tension, a lowered immune system, and episodes of oral thrush. Maybe if we could tie these symptoms together into some rational clinical picture, we would be closer to discerning the cause of fibromyalgia.

At this point in time, medical research can merely discover potential causes of fibromyalgia: a traumatic emotional experience, tension, clinical depression, deficiencies in magnesium, phosphate and substrate minerals, biological disruption of natural energy production, chronic fatigue, depleted levels of growth hormones, heredity from relations who have the syndrome, and disturbance of deep, restorative REM sleep. The question is, are these symptoms of the syndrome, or the causes of fibromyalgia?

Successfully treating the symptoms could be an indication as to what causes fibromyalgia. If a particular treatment works, such as vitamin and herb supplements, or medications that strengthen the immune system and interrupt pain signals to the brain, or medications that restore deep, healing REM sleep, then this might lead to a more effective discernment of the real cause of fibromyalgia. Put differently, if a treatment works, then why does it work?

Medical science is nevertheless a long way from discovering a cause for fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia does exist, and it responds to certain treatments, however it continues to be an "idiopathic" condition without a known cause or a definitive treatment to put it into remission.