Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain, sleep issues, fatigue and emotional distress. It can also affect people’s joints.

Scientists from King’s College London and the University of Liverpool, along with researchers at Karolinska Institute, found that fibromyalgia symptoms are triggered by antibodies that boost activity levels in pain-sensing nerve cells. They published their findings in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Inflammation

There is no one treatment for fibromyalgia, but many treatments can ease pain and other symptoms. These include exercise, avoiding stress, getting enough sleep and using heat or cold packs. Taking pain relievers may also help, but they can have side effects.

Symptoms vary from person to person, but they can include muscle pain and fatigue, trouble with thinking clearly and problems with memory and concentration. Some people may also have a stiff neck and shoulders or headaches. Fibromyalgia can cause tender points that are painful when pressed. In the past, doctors checked 18 points on a patient’s body to see how many were painful, but new guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology don’t require tender point testing.

Treatments can include physical therapy, acupuncture and massage. A dietitian can help with meal planning and recommending healthy foods. Psychological treatments may also reduce stress. These include group or individual therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Managing the symptoms of fibromyalgia is important because they can interfere with work and family life.

Autoantibodies

Autoimmune diseases are caused by the immune system attacking cells that it identifies as dangerous or harmful. This causes damage to healthy tissues and usually results in inflammation. Fibromyalgia is not an autoimmune disease because it doesn’t cause inflammation and there has been no evidence that it produces autoantibodies.

However, researchers are investigating the possibility that fibromyalgia may be a result of antibodies increasing pain-sensing nerves. One study in 2021 found that when fibromyalgia antibodies were injected into mice, the animals became more sensitive to pain and less active.

While genetic factors play a role in fibromyalgia, research suggests that non-genetic (environmental) triggers increase a person’s risk of developing this disorder. For example, having a close relative with an autoimmune condition such as rheumatoid arthritis increases your risk of fibromyalgia by 8.5 times. Similarly, low levels of serotonin, an important brain chemical involved in pain regulation, are also associated with fibromyalgia. Research into the connection between fibromyalgia and the immune system is opening new pathways for treatment.

Toxicity

Various toxins, like environmental pollutants, heavy metals, chemicals and viruses, may contribute to symptoms. These include problems with sleep, waking up tired, cognitive issues and depression or anxiety.

Fibromyalgia may be linked to neuroinflammation and small fiber neuropathy, which are common in autoimmune diseases. This theory isn’t widely accepted, though.

Classic autoimmune disorders, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, cause the immune system to target normal body tissue and lead to inflammation, pain, swelling and joint damage. However, researchers have not found this in people with fibromyalgia.

While a fibromyalgia diagnosis can change the way you live, there are things you can do to manage your condition. Your doctor will likely suggest a combination of over-the-counter and prescription pain medicines, physical therapy or occupational therapy, exercise and nutrition. You can also try acupuncture, meditation or yoga. Some patients find dietary changes, including adding extra-virgin olive oil or taking probiotics, helpful. You may also try massage therapy, which uses different manipulation techniques to reduce pain and tension in muscles and soft tissues.

Genetics

Researchers have found that certain genetic variants are associated with fibromyalgia. However, genes alone don’t explain how people get fibromyalgia. It takes a lot of other causal factors to actually trigger the illness.

Many of these causes are psychological or physical. For example, traumas, such as being physically or emotionally abused or the death of a loved one, can alter how genes function and change the way pain receptors respond to signals. In addition, sleep problems and depression can also influence the way your brain registers pain.

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Another possible factor is the hormones in your body. Studies have shown that 90% of people with fibromyalgia are women (or assigned female at birth). These studies suggest that hormonal changes play a role in the illness. If you have a close relative with fibromyalgia, there is an increased risk that you may develop it too. But don’t let that stop you from getting help! There is hope!