Fibromyalgia is a disorder associated with widespread pain accompanied by sleep, reduced cognitive functioning, fatigue, and mood issues. Studies have shown that fibromyalgia affects the way the brain senses these pain signals, which result in magnified painful sensations.
Usually, as we heal, the painful sensations get better, and with time fades off. But for those with fibromyalgia, you feel hurt all over irrespective of being injured or not. That’s not the worst part: the pain remains and takes longer to go away. Some doctors are of the opinion as to why this happens; they think it’s a glitch affecting the brain and the spinal cord’s pain signal processing process.
Still, there’s yet to be a valid explanation to why some people develop this widespread musculoskeletal pain. The underlying cause cannot be stated, but studies have shown that an odd number of factors may be involved.
Thus, we have a comprehensive list of factors said to contribute to developing this health condition. [1]
Abnormal Pain Messages
Among several theories of how people develop this widespread musculoskeletal pain change in the manner the central nervous system (CNS ) processes the pain signals transported in the body. This changes in the pain signal processing may be as a result of chemical changes in the nervous system.
The brain, nerves and spinal cord make up the central nervous system and are responsible for transmitting information around the entire body via a network of specialized cells. Any changes in the operating manner of this organized may be an ideal explanation for why fibromyalgia is characterized by extreme sensitivity to, and a constant feeling of, pain.