Causes and Risk Factors for Fibromyalgia

Autoimmune Diseases

VeryWell.com says that fibromyalgia tends to mimic the symptoms of certain autoimmune diseases, while it can co-exist with autoimmune diseases (when cells attack your own healthy tissue).

While the disorder itself is not considered an autoimmune disorder currently, “it’s possible that future studies may discover that autoimmunity plays a part in some or all cases,” explains the site. It adds that, while there’s research that shows some “irregularities” in the immune system of patients with fibromyalgia, the disorder doesn’t present the same inflammation and damage that autoimmune diseases do.

Certain Viruses

Fibromyalgia News Today suggests in a 2017 article that certain viruses may be culprits behind developing fibromyalgia. The source explains that a doctor from Indiana found that patients who seem to be more vulnerable to certain viruses might have a heightened risk of developing the pain disorder.

Dr. David Johnson tested his patients with fibromyalgia for 17 common viruses. He found that they tested positive for three to nine of them, which could suggest a common link. Some of these common viruses include rotavirus, herpes, and Epstein-Barr virus, notes the source.

Gender

Fibromyalgia tends to predominate in females. In fact, as many as 90-percent of cases are diagnosed in women, according to EveryDayHealth.com. The men that get the disorder tend to experience a milder version with fewer symptoms, adds the source.

The site explains that women with fibromyalgia can experience tenderness or pain in at least 11 of 18 “tender points,” and men typically only have six places in the body where they’ll experience tenderness (and not as intense). Female hormones (i.e., estrogen) are suspected to play a role in the disorder, with some women complaining of more pain around the time of menstruation.

Emotional and Physical Trauma

It’s mostly accepted as true that the mind and body are connected, and one will suffer when the other does. The Mayo Clinic says that emotional trauma (as well as physical trauma) can increase your chances of developing fibromyalgia.

If you’ve been under prolonged psychological stress or something very upsetting has occurred that has turned your mental state upside down, you can actually start to have physical symptoms. Meanwhile, the clinic says a car accident (or other type of injury) can also trigger the disorder.

Depression

WebMD says there are studies linking depression and fibromyalgia and notes that fibromyalgia patients are up to three times more likely to have depression at the time of their diagnosis.

So, does this mean having fibromyalgia causes depression, or does depression lead to fibromyalgia? WebMD explains that researchers believe that depression leads to changes in brain chemistry, while other experts look at the part of the nervous system responsible for handling stress. If that mechanism is out of whack, the experts say the patient may be more susceptible to pain, which can also lead to depression.