Fibromyalgia
Adapted from these Arthritis Foundation publications: Fibromyalgia brochure and Guide to Good Living with Fibromyalgia. 

What Causes It?

No one knows what causes fibromyalgia. Researchers speculate that many different factors, alone or in ombination, may cause fibromyalgia. For example, factors such as 

• An infectious illness 
• Physical trauma
• Emotional trauma  
• Hormonal changes
• Muscle abnormalities
• Neurotansmitters

Studies have suggested that people with fibromyalgia have abnormal levels of several of the different chemicals that help transmit and amplify pain signals to and from the brain. Whether these abnormalities are a cause or a result of fibromyalgia is unknown.