Fibromyalgia Syndrome is a disorder that affects millions of individuals worldwide. Despite this fact, though, it is not a condition that is well understood, or even fully accepted by all members of the medical community. In fact, the term fibromyalgia (fibro meaning "supportive tissue" + my meaning "muscle tissue" and algia meaning "pain") did not even come into full use until the 1980's. Prior to that time, the syndrome for many decades had been mistakenly referred to as fibrositis, a label that infers an inflammatory condition ("itis" means inflammation).
However, though fibromyalgia is typified by the presence of tender points and trigger points across the body, it is not identified as an inflammatory joint condition, but rather a disorder that produces pain in the soft tissues around joints and organs. And though individuals with fibromyalgia suffer widespread pain, the condition itself is not a degenerative or destructive process.
What exactly is fibromyalgia and what is it caused by? These are probably the two most frustrating questions regarding this particular syndrome. At present, there is no single identifiable cause for FMS. However, in different individuals fibromyalgia may have different causes that involve one (or several) of the following factors: sleep deprivation, bacterial or viral infection, traumatic injury, deficient hormone and neurotransmitter levels, stress, and hypersensitivity to sound, light, or odor.
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