Causes

The cause of fibromyalgia (FMS) is poorly understood. Many experts believe that FMS is caused by a problem in the way pain messages pass through or are processed by the central nervous system (CNS).
 
Research studies show that people with FMS process pain in a different way than healthy people.  A problem in the CNS causes the person’s body to be too sensitive or to over- react to certain things. These may include stress, noise, smells, and temperature and humidity changes. People with FMS may feel pain in a more extreme way than healthy people. For example, a woman with FMS who places a warm cloth on her skin may feel like it is burning hot instead of just warm. People with FMS may also feel pain from things that should not cause pain. Researchers have been unable to find the exact cause of FMS. Theories of some possible causes are listed below.

• Neurochemical imbalances
• Body’s response to stress 
• Problems with sleep

Many experts also believe that FMS may be triggered by one or more of the following:
 

• Infection caused by a virus
• Depression or anxiety
• Physical or psychological trauma