Fibromyalgia

As well as widespread pain, other symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

• increased sensitivity to pain
• muscle stiffness
• difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, which can make you feel very tired (fatigue)
• problems with mental processes (known as "fibro-fog"), such as difficulty concentrating or remembering things
• headaches
• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a digestive condition that causes stomach pain and bloating
• feelings of frustration, worry or low mood

The symptoms of fibromyalgia are changeable – for example, they can sometimes suddenly improve or get worse.

See a GP if you think you have fibromyalgia. Treatment can ease some of the symptoms, although they're unlikely to disappear completely.

Although there's currently no cure for fibromyalgia, there are treatments to help relieve some of the symptoms and make the condition easier to live with.

Treatment tends to be a combination of:

• lifestyle changes, such as exercise programmes and relaxation techniques
• talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
• medicine, such as antidepressants

In particular, exercise has a number of important benefits for people with fibromyalgia, including helping to reduce pain.

The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but it's thought to be related to abnormal levels of certain chemicals in the brain and changes in the way the central nervous system (the brain, spinal cord and nerves) processes pain messages carried around the body.

It's also suggested that some people are more likely to develop fibromyalgia because of genes inherited from their parents.

In many cases, the condition appears to be triggered by things that are physical or emotional like an injury, an infection or stress.

There are many possible symptoms of fibromyalgia and they often vary from person to person. The main symptom is pain all over your body.

There's no cure for fibromyalgia, but treatments like exercise, talking therapies and medicines may help ease some of your symptoms.

It's not clear what causes fibromyalgia. It can start after a stressful event like an injury, illness or the death of a loved one.