Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain that is often accompanied by fatigue, depression, sleep disturbance, cognitive impairment, and digestive and urinary symptoms. Current theories suggest that fibromyalgia may be caused by irregular activity within the central nervous system This is because the pain it causes does not seem to be a result of physical or mechanical problems in the body (e.g. a broken bone, a pulled muscle, inflammation) but instead, seems to be caused by the brain's management of pain signals.
Wolfe (2010 and 2011) and Bennett (2013) have devised modified and alternative criteria, respectively, primarily for clinical and epidemiological research.1,2 Widespread pain of at least a 3-month duration remains a hallmark Fibromyalgia pain relief of the syndrome; however, both sets of criteria can be assessed by patient survey, and both eliminate the tender point count of the 1990 ACR criteria, which was challenging for clinicians to assess reliably.

The word fibromyalgia comes from the Latin term for fibrous tissue (fibro) and the Greek terms for muscle (myo) and pain (algia).Tender points are particular body locations that are usually somewhat tender for anyone but where people with fibromyalgia feel pain in response to very slight pressure; these tender points are used in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia.People who have fibromyalgia may also experience aching, stiffness and tiredness, which can be changeable throughout the day, getting worse with activity.
There's no test that can diagnose fibromyalgia, so when fibromyalgia symptoms — which include widespread pain, sensitivity to touch, sleep issues and fatigue, brain fog, gastrointestinal distress (bloating and diarrhea), and mental health issues like depression and anxiety — propel you into the doctor's office, your provider must first rule out other conditions that could be responsible for your fibro symptoms.

The biochemical changes seen in the CNS, the low levels of serotonin, the four-fold increase in nerve growth factor, and the elevated levels of substance P all lead to a whole-body hypersensitivity to pain and suggest that fibromyalgia may be a condition of central sensitization or of abnormal central processing of nociceptive pain input.
Patients also may have a variety of poorly understood additional symptoms, including abdominal pain , diarrhea , constipation , nausea , dry eyes , dry mouth , chest wall pain, pelvic pain , and bladder symptoms, heart palpitations , numbness and tingling (pins and needles), multiple allergies and chemical sensitivities, weight gain, and others.
If you've been diagnosed with fibromyalgia (which can be notoriously challenging to manage with medication) and continue to experience pain and other symptoms despite treatment, it may be the case that you have another condition — say, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) — instead of or in addition to your fibro.

While having a sufficient level of vitamin D is important to maintain bone health, a healthy immune system, and perhaps prevent certain types of cancer , vitamin D supplementation does not improve fibromyalgia symptoms in patients who have sufficient levels of vitamin D. Narcotic pain medications should be avoided in fibromyalgia because they may worsen the underlying problem.
Many patients diagnosed with FM by a rheumatologist or a pain medicine specialist report having another health care professional state that: FM does not exist.” 6 , 9 The discussion as to whether FM exists or not raises the question as to what defines the existence of a disease.

Both men and women can have fibromyalgia but it occurs most commonly in females - a finding also found in chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), interstitial cystitis (IC), temporal mandibular disorder (IBS), most autoimmune illnesses and other chronic pain conditions.
However it works, it's clear that inflammaging is a phenomenon, and a variable one — some people are bound to get it worse, and it's very likely that those people are fibromyalgia patients who feel a lot like they are getting too sore and tired, too easily.
The Canadian guidelines also do not require a tender point exam for diagnosis, instead recommending a clinical evaluation and physical exam to exclude other conditions presenting with body pain, similar to the American College of Rheumatology guidelines.