HopelesslyJoan

Fibromyalgia is sometimes categorized as primary or secondary. In primary fibromyalgia, also known as idiopathic fibromyalgia, the causes are not known whereas in secondary fibromyalgia the causes can be identified. Primary fibromyalgia is the more common form.

Many experts believe that primary fibromyalgia is not a disease but rather a chronic pain condition brought on by a dysfunctional biologic response to stress. Individuals are thought to be more susceptible to stress because of traumatic personal histories, genetic factors, or both. Physical injuries, emotional trauma, or viral infections, such as Epstein-Barr, may act as triggers for the onset of the disorder.

In secondary fibromyalgia, a specific cause can be identified. Possible causes of secondary fibromyalgia include:

• Physical injury. As an example, secondary fibromyalgia developed in over 20 percent of patients who had neck injuries. The symptoms are identical to those of primary fibromyalgia but are more difficult to treat. Another study reported a high incidence of fibromyalgia in workers with repetitive stress injuries, although it is not clear which condition caused the other.
• Ankylosing spondylitis. Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of chronic inflammation of the spine and the sacroiliac joints located in the low back where the sacrum meets the iliac bones.
• Surgery. Trauma, particularly in the upper spinal region, may trigger the development of fibromyalgia.
• Lyme disease. According to one study, between 10- and 25-percent of patients with Lyme disease subsequently developed fibromyalgia, which did not respond to the standard Lyme treatment consisting of antibiotics.
• Hepatitis C. Hepatitis C may prove to be a trigger for some cases of fibromyalgia.
• Endometriosis. Approximately 30 percent of women with the painful condition known as endometriosis go on to develop fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, a related illness.

There are several fibromyalgia risk factors to be aware of, it is a good idea to review this list to see if any of the risk factors relate to you. Although the numbers vary depending on the source, statistics say that there are between 3 million and 10 million people in the United States that suffer from fibromyalgia.

There are four main fibromyalgia risk factors:

The first risk factor is your gender. Fibromyalgia symptoms are much more common in women than men. Between 80% and 90% of all fibromyalgia patients are women. Also, it seems more common for women to develop symptoms during menopause.

Age can also be a risk factor, a middle aged person (between the ages of 25 and 60) are more likely to develop fibromyalgia symptoms than an older or younger person.

Another fibromyalgia risk factor is difficulty sleeping. To be honest, doctors have not been able to pinpoint whether sleep problems are cause fibromyalgia or if it is the other way around (that fibromyalgia causes sleep problems), but it has been found that sleep problems can develop fibromyalgia.

Family history can be a risk factor, if you have a history of fibromyalgia within your family then you may be more susceptible to experiencing pain related to the condition. It is not clear whether genetics or psychological factors play a role in the heredity of this condition.

A person who has other chronic conditions (such as osteoarthritis and lupus) may be more likely to develop fibromyalgia symptoms. Also, it has been found that higher levels of stress may cause fibromyalgia to develop in a person.