Fibromyalgia

Home » Fibromyalgia » Fibromyalgia Overview

Fibromyalgia Overview

Fibromyalgia is a chronic musculoskeletal syndrome characterized by pain, achiness, tenderness, and stiffness in the muscle tissue, ligaments, and tendons. Fibromyalgia most frequently affects the neck, shoulders, chest, legs, and lower back. Pain is generally accompanied by sleep disorders, fatigue, gastrointestinal disorders, and depression. Many fibromyalgia symptoms are similar to symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome, and temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ).

Incidence and Prevalence
It is estimated that 6 to 8 million people in the United States suffer from fibromyalgia. About 80% of patients are women. While the condition can occur at any age, the highest incidence of fibromyalgia occurs among women 20 to 40 years of age.

There have been reports of fibromyalgia in children. What may be considered "growing pains" might in fact be fibromyalgia, especially if the child also experiences difficulty sleeping.

Fibromyalgia, Fibromyalgia Overview reprinted with permission from neurologychannel.com
© 1998-2009 Healthcommunities.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Fibromyalgia Resources

Pain Management Information for Patients (Free Handout)
	Join Our Fibromyalgia Forum Do you have a question, want to share medical advice, or just need to discuss your situation with someone else having a similar experience? The healthchannels forum is a resource for everyone to share and discuss their health and medical needs with others.	Advertising Disclaimer
	Living with...Share your story Do you have a personal health story that you would like to share with others? As a source of free patient education, our goal is to provide our users with trustworthy information and support from others. That's why we've started our "Living with..." sections.
	Our "Living With..." support pages are a place to share experiences about living with a certain condition, disease, disorder, or illness and for loved ones of those dealing with health-related issues. Many people, especially when newly diagnosed, find comfort in knowing that others are having a similar experience. Help others by sharing your story. View stories already submitted.
	Stay Updated Sign up for our newsletter and receive important updates on the medical conditions that are most important to you.
To quickly access health information from your website's browser, download Healthcommunities.com's healthchannels toolbar. Advertising Disclaimer