Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are often discussed together, but are different medical entities. Fibromyalgia is a disease causing pain in the joints, along with muscle and tissue pain and stiffness, the cause of which is still unknown. In chronic fatigue syndrome, fatigue is the main symptom.
Fibromyalgia or fybromyalgia syndrome has affected about 4 percent of the population in the United States. Fibromyalgia is more common among females between 35 and 55 years of age. Interestingly, no tissue inflammation or physical deformity is seen in fibromyalgia, but the patient complains of persistent disabling pain and allodynia.
Fibromyalgia can be stress-related or can be caused by physical trauma. Genetically predisposed people are more common victims. Patients suffering from fibromyalgia syndrome report restless sleep, extreme tiredness, depression, and extreme fatigue. Some sufferers of fibromyalgia may experience difficulty in swallowing, bladder and bowel evacuation with numbness, and tingling sensations.
Though fibromyalgia causes no damage to the internal organs, the patient is always anxious. Research also shows that the brain is supersensitive in patients suffering from fibromyalgia. This condition may be found associated with other disease conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, polymyositis, hypothyroidism, and systemic lupus erythematous.
For more information about fibromyalgia, see below:
Do I Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.