There is no one cause of fibromyalgia. Research has shown that it can be caused by an infection, physical trauma, or other traumatic events. It is believed that in most cases, there is not one single cause of fibromyalgia. A combination of events or situations can lead to the debilitating condition. Doctors continue to research, as finding a cause will lead to significant advances in treatment.

Physical Trauma

Something like a car accident or a major fall can be enough to trigger onset of fibromyalgia. Research has not pinpointed exactly how trauma can lead to a case of fibromyalgia syndrome (”FMS”), but some believe it is from an overreaction of the body in response to the trauma. The body responds to resist the trauma by releasing hormones and neurochemicals. This overreaction to trauma continues long after the incident is over, leading to the initial symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome. It is as if your system becomes oversensitive to the pain messages that are sent and makes the body’s pain threshold much lower.

Central Nervous System

Another theory as to the cause of FMS is that it is an abnormality in the central nervous system (”CNS”). Your CNS processes the signals from the nerves that alert you to pain. In fibromyalgia patients, there may be a defect in the way the CNS processes these pain alerts. The process is overactive and the signals are more intense and it amplifies the pain. This creates more nerve connections that continue to perpetuate the pain cycle. Also, it is believed that FMS patients have lower levels of substances that can work to lessen the bodies response to pain, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

Deficiency Within the Immune System

Another theory as to the cause of fibromyalgia is that the patient had at one time suffered from an infection, and the body overreacted in responding to the bacteria or virus responsible. Abnormally high levels of antibodies were released and continued to act after the infection was gone from the body. This would lead to damage in the body, leading to the initial symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Environmental Causes

Some FMS patients find relief by taking antihistamines or other medications that help with respiratory infections, which may suggest that their symptoms are the result of an allergy. The allergic reaction may be to chemicals, smoke, or other irritants that occur in the environment. Just as there can be a system overload when the body reacts to physical trauma, the body may experience the same type of overload when exposed to outside environmental agents. The body reacts so strongly that it causes pain, sleeplessness, and other symptoms that are related to fibromyalgia.

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