resize text

Learn About Medical Conditions

For medical emergencies call 911.
Quick Links

Fibromyalgia (Fibromyositis, Fibrositis, Myofascial pain syndrome)

This chronic disorder is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and tenderness in localized areas.

Fibromyalgia makes you feel tired and causes muscle pain and “tender points”—places on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms or legs that hurt when touched. People with fibromyalgia may have other symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, morning stiffness, headaches, and problems with thinking and memory, sometimes called “fibro fog.”

No one knows what causes fibromyalgia. Anyone can get it, but it is most common in middle-aged women. People with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases are particularly likely to develop fibromyalgia.

What treatments are available?

There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but medicines can help manage the symptoms. Getting enough sleep may help. And, though it can be painful, regular exercise has been shown to improve symptoms.

See also: Rheumatoid Arthritis Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health