Fibromyalgia Cause, Alternative Treatment, Sleep Disorder & Muscle Trauma

Though you may be suffering from widespread pain, chronic fatigue, and a variety of other fibromyalgia symptoms, it can be difficult to ascertain why you have become a victim of fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia remains an elusive syndrome. Even experts on the illness do not know why fibromyalgia occurs or what causes it. This often makes fibromyalgia diagnosis and treatment all the more difficult.

Why Can’t We Find A Cause?
Researchers have theorized on a number of possible causes for the fibromyalgia syndrome. Ranging from infection to accident trauma, the list goes on and on. But, despite a number of possibilities, to date no one cause of fibromyalgia has been determined. Why is there so much confusion when it comes to the origins of fibromyalgia?

Well, one of the problems is that there is so little evidence supporting any one theory. No physical examinations or diagnostic tests have pointed to any major cause of the disorder. Even muscle biopsies taken from the tender points of fibromyalgia sufferers have offered little information. Another problem is that fibromyalgia occurs in such a wide population. It affects women and men, and can hit at any age in life. This makes finding a single cause for the disorder very difficult.

Likely Causes of Fibromyalgia

Researchers in the field have singled out a few likely causes.

Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction
Fibromyalgia may be caused by a problem with the brain’s autonomic nervous system. This system helps to control a number of bodily processes, including digestion, reaction to stress, and metabolism. Problems with the hormones and neurotransmitters used by the autonomic nervous system can interrupt certain bodily processes, causing a number of fibromyalgia symptoms.

Sleep Disorders
A large percentage of fibromyalgia patients have difficulty sleeping. Though once seen as a fibromyalgia symptom, it is now theorized that these sleep disorders may actually be the cause of the illness. Fibromyalgia patients don’t seem to get enough deep sleep, which prevents injured muscles and nerves from being repaired. This can result in serious pain.

Injury and Muscle Trauma
A large number of fibromyalgia patients do seem to have suffered from serious injury or muscle trauma, such as that caused by a car accident, prior to the onset of their fibromyalgia. Injury to the central nervous system can affect the way the brain operates, increasing sensitivity to pain as well as complicating sleep patterns and cognitive thought processes. Muscle injuries can also become chronic and widespread.

Other Possible Causes of Fibromyalgia

Other possible causes of fibromyalgia syndrome have been investigated.

Genetic Predisposition
Many fibromyalgia sufferers have close family members with the disorder. This may indicate that fibromyalgia has a genetic component. Fibromyalgia also tends to affect more women, which also supports the theory that fibromyalgia is a genetic illness.

Infectious Agents
Infectious illnesses, including certain viruses, may be at the root of fibromyalgia. Certain infections attack the central nervous system, inhibiting the production of neurotransmitters. This could cause fibromyalgia pain. Infections can also cause muscle trauma and injury, which may develop into chronic and widespread pain.

Immune System Abnormalities
Fibromyalgia could be the result of an over-active immune system. Your immune system works to protect your body by attacking bacteria, viruses, and other foreign cells. When over-active, the immune system can cause severe inflammation and pain.

In addition to all these possibilities, genetics and gender are also thought to perhaps contribute to the development of the illness. However, since no one cause stands out as the trigger for fibromyalgia, it is likely that a combination of factors contribute to the development of the syndrome.