Fibromyalgia feels like a severe case of the flu but it does not go away in 24 hours, 48 hours or even 48 days and every muscle in the body aches. A person who has fibromyalgia doesn't have the energy to lift the head, much less do the dishes, drive to work or walk up a flight of stairs. The symptoms of fibromyalgia are similar to ordinary illness such as the flu.

Recent medical studies have confirmed fibromyalgia is real even some doctors often write about fibromyalgia as hypochondria or an active imagination. 3 to 6 percent of the population of the U.S. has fibromyalgia. 80 to 90 percent of those with fibromyalgia are women. The highest incidence occurs among women 20 to 40 years of age.

Fibromyalgia is referred as a syndrome of signs and symptoms that characterize it such as soft tissue tenderness, sleep disturbances, general fatigue, aches, pain and stiffness in the back, neck, hands and other parts of the body. Fibromyalgia is also characterized as a chronic, arthritis-related condition. Because the symptoms are common in other conditions diagnosing fibromyalgia is confusing for those in the medical profession.

Symptoms of fibromyalgia may include: chronic headaches, fatigue, cognitive or memory impairment, jaw pain, chemicals sensitivities, lighteadedness, menstrual cramping, irritable bowel syndrome, disturbed sleep, muscle pain, morning stiffness, numbness and tingling sensations and dizziness. Fibromyalgia is influenced by gender, age, sleep disorders and genetic disposition. Other symptoms of fibromyalgia are: pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Some experts suspect fibromyalgia being caused by viral or bacterial infection, an autonomic nervous system dysfunction, upper spinal cord injury, emotional stress or trauma, immune or endocrine system dysfunction or chronic sleep disorders. Because resemble a post-viral state fibromyalgia is the same as chronic fatigue syndrome. Some of the old names used for fibromyalgia are: fibrositis, chronic psychogenic rheumatism and muscle pain syndrome.

In 1990, the American College of Rheumatology put the term fibromyalgia on the map by giving its official criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. A person is classified with fibromyalgia if he or she feels pain under pressure in at least 11 of 18 specific areas of the body. Patients with fibromyalgia must exhibit widespread pain on both sides of the body and above and below the waist for at least a three month duration of time.

Fibromyalgia feels similar to rheumatism but the two differ in two ways. Fibromyalgia affects muscles and their attachments to bones rather than arthritis of a joint. Rheumatism is associated with arthritis and related disorders of the muscles, bones and joints. Although fibromyalgia feel like a joint disease, it does not cause deformities of the joints. People with fibromyalgia do not feel the sympathy of friends, family members or their co-workers and bosses.

In many cases the pain of fibromyalgia is imagined. Treatments and alternative therapies are available for people with fibromyalgia to ease the pain and stress.