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Fibromyalgia (FM or FMS) is a chronic syndrome (constellation of signs
and symptoms) characterized by diffuse or specific muscle, joint, or bone pain, fatigue, and a wide range of other symptoms.
It is not contagious, and recent studies suggest that people
with fibromyalgia may be genetically predisposed.
[1] It affects more females than males, with a ratio of 9:1 by ACR (American College of Rheumatology) criteria.
[2] Fibromyalgia is seen in 3% to 6% of the general population, and is most commonly
diagnosed in individuals between the ages of 20 and 50, though onset can occur in childhood.
The disease
is not life-threatening, though the degree of symptoms may vary greatly from day to day with periods of flares (severe worsening
of symptoms) or remission.
The syndrome is generally perceived as non-progressive, yet that issue is still
debated.
[3] Fibromyalgia may actually be composed of several clinical entities,
ranging from a mild, idiopathic inflammatory process in some individuals to a somatoform disorder resulting from clinical depression in others, with probable overlaps
in between.
[4] Current diagnostic criteria are insufficient to differentiate
these entities. |
