Is Fibromyalgia Real? Facts and Misconceptions
The painful condition affects people physically—but it also comes with mental and emotional effects.
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Medically reviewed by Anita C. Chandrasekaran, MD
Fibromyalgia, a body-wide pain disorder, is considered an invisible illness—a condition where the symptoms aren't always visible to others. Although it may be an invisible illness, fibromyalgia is a real condition.
As many as four million American adults manage symptoms of fibromyalgia. Yet, the condition is not always taken seriously. While some people believe that fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal disorder, others think the condition is rooted in the mind. Here's what you need to know about fibromyalgia and its realness.
1. What Is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder where a person experiences aches and pains all over their body. It appears to be due to brain-body miscommunication, where signals between the brain and the nerves amplify everyday pain. For example, a person with fibromyalgia might feel that a light touch on their shoulder is more painful compared to someone without the condition.
Females tend to experience fibromyalgia more than males, and most people develop the condition around middle age—though it can affect any person at any age. Fibromyalgia is also frequently seen in those who:
Have a family history of fibromyalgia
Have a mental health disorder, such as PTSD
Have obesity
Have rheumatic (joint) conditions
Sustained any brain or spinal cord trauma
2. What Are the Symptoms?
Individuals with fibromyalgia usually deal with fatigue as well as issues with sleep, mood, and memory (sometimes referred to as "fibro fog"). Other possible signs of fibromyalgia may include:
Arm and leg numbness
Digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Muscle fatigue or stiffness
Temperature, light, noise, and odor sensitivity
3. Why Is Fibromyalgia Controversial?
Fibromyalgia presents as a cluster of vague symptoms. There is no definitive cure, and the cause of fibromyalgia is unknown. However, different physical or emotional triggers can bring on symptoms, and family history may play a role in its development.
Related: 7 Fibromyalgia-Related Conditions
4. Why Don't Some Healthcare Providers Believe In It?
There's no unanimity in the medical community that fibromyalgia is a legitimate condition. Researchers found that patients diagnosed with the condition reported seeing healthcare providers who did not believe in the existence of fibromyalgia.
"There's an extremely wide range of opinions of physicians, ranging from it doesn't exist at all to it's a true illness. At a guess I'd say it's probably no better than fifty-fifty," John Kincaid, MD, a neurology professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and a former board member of the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, told Health.
Fibromyalgia may also frustrate some healthcare providers. "Sometimes [doctors] take out their frustrations on the patients and blame the patients for the illnesses," fibromyalgia expert Daniel Clauw, MD, director of the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, told Health.
5. How Do People With Fibromyalgia Feel?
Those with fibromyalgia often report having a hard time when it comes to seeking medical care for their diagnosis. One study conducted in Sweden analyzed the responses of 409 patients with fibromyalgia concerning their healthcare experiences. The researchers found that the patients had the following experiences when they interacted with healthcare providers:
30.5% felt that they were rarely taken seriously, if at all
46% didn't think or barely thought their diagnosis was understood
54% experienced a lack of help with their fibromyalgia and healthcare providers' understanding of how the condition affected them
Having fibromyalgia and feeling that others don't believe your experience can have emotional consequences. "It was maddening. I felt like most of the doctors I saw were not acknowledging that I was really in pain," said Shelley Kirkpatrick of Bellefontaine, Ohio, who began experiencing fatigue and excruciating muscle and joint pain in 2004. After two years of fruitless tests, Kirkpatrick's doctor told her she had fibromyalgia.
Kathleen Wisz of Woodridge, Illinois, dealt with on-and-off pains in her neck and upper back for 20 years. Over the course of those two decades, most healthcare providers recommended a psychiatrist treat her, and Wisz reacted by withdrawing into herself. However, after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1992, she started reading about the condition and joined a support group.
Related: 9 Fibromyalgia Pain Points
6. Is Fibromyalgia Overdiagnosed?
In some cases, fibromyalgia is overdiagnosed. Researchers analyzed how accurate fibromyalgia diagnoses had been made based on definitions and criteria for the condition. They found that only 32.2% of people diagnosed met the criteria for fibromyalgia.
Part of the issue with diagnosis is because other conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and arthritis share pain and fatigue symptoms with fibromyalgia. Additionally, diagnosis usually includes relying on a person's family and medical history and a physical exam. There are no diagnostic tests for fibromyalgia.
7. How Is It Treated?
Treating fibromyalgia may usually involve a multidisciplinary approach—meaning you might work with various healthcare professionals to help manage symptoms. Treatment options can include:
Exercise
Medications, such as anticonvulsants and antidepressants
Relaxation therapies
Tai chi, pilates, and yoga
A Quick Review
Even though fibromyalgia may have genetic and environmental factors for development, researchers are still trying to understand what exactly causes fibromyalgia. Overall, the symptoms are complex, and there is no cure.
For these reasons, many patients and some healthcare providers have said there are issues with fibromyalgia diagnosis and treatment in the United States. It can be difficult claiming a medical condition in everyday life when, on the outside at least, you appear fine—but fibromyalgia and its health effects are legitimate.
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