Why do I have “fibromyalgia “?

jeanesf1@jeansf1
Hi,
I have had fibromyalgia since I had a rollover car accident in 2014. I hit my head, did not lose consciousness. Three months later the symptoms were much worse, brain dog, extreme tiredness that just wouldn't go away. I have struggled, some days are better than others but on the days with the muscle aches and brain fog, i try to look after myself and take it easy. I found that my hot tub was so helpful, but I no longer have it. Warm to hot showers help but not the same.

@leanne004 Hello. The only head injury I’ve had was when I was 21 years old in a domestic violence incident in which I had my head repeatedly slammed against a wall and I lost consciousness. Didn’t seek medical treatment. Fibromyalgia symptoms didn’t begin until early 50’s. Although I had medical issues/unexplained pain prior to the full blown body pain in my 50’s you’ve made me realize those symptoms were in my head area, severe eye pain, chronic migraines, chronic sinus pain/infections that I took antibiotics for a year. I’ve had couple of MRI s of my head. Non-conclusive. I had never considered that incident as a posible cause.

Mine was emotional trauma I ended up with mrsa bacterial spinal meningitis. Then diagnosed with fibromyalgia but my mother w diagnosed with it. There is a hereditary link. Here is some information on fm. I also have several autoimmune disorders.
Etiology means cause
https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/is-fibromyalgia-hereditary
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5668398/
https://www.fibromyalgiafund.org/is-fibro-an-autoimmune-disease/

@artemis1886 . Thank you for that. Good to know about all this research! So much scientific information I do not understand. Bottom line “ However, the genetic factors identified to date do not fully explain the etiology of FM.
The genetic studies conducted over the past two decades have not completely explained the molecular mechanisms of FM. Moreover, the effects of genetic factors on FM disease progression, therapeutic response, and outcomes have not yet been defined. Further studies are required to evaluate the relationships between genetic
polymorphisms and these clinical aspects of
FM. Indeed, more prospective studies”, etc.
I wish it was simple like i.e. eating sunflower seeds causes fibromyalgia “.🫤

@jeannesf1 that would be nice but my problem isn’t so simple I have lupus Sjogrens Hashimotos and mixed tissue disease àka dnads màrkèrs are positive meàñing the genetic markers àre positive àlong with several types of neuropathy

I used to think the same thing about Fibromyalgia just being “my brain overreacting,” but what I’ve learned is it’s more like my nervous system got stuck in this hypersensitive mode called Central sensitization, where pain signals are amplified and even normal sensations can start to feel painful, and the frustrating part is there isn’t one clear reason why it happens to a specific person because research points to a mix of factors like genetic predisposition (some people are just more susceptible), triggers that sort of “flip the switch” such as physical injury, illness, chronic stress, or emotional trauma, plus things like poor sleep and stress system dysregulation that keep the cycle going, and while it can feel like something is just “wrong with your brain,” studies have actually shown measurable differences in how the brain and nervous system process pain, along with possible involvement of neurotransmitters, immune activity, and even small nerve fibers, so it’s not imaginary or purely psychological, it’s more like your system learned to stay in a constant high-alert state and hasn’t reset properly, which is why treatment usually focuses on gradually calming and retraining that sensitivity rather than fixing a single root cause.

@artemis1886 Im so sorry. So many complex conditions. It seems to me many people have thyroid issues and many that do also also have fibromyalgia and other autoimmune disorders.

@renich Very well articulated and easy to understand. All you wrote makes the most sense. I find that trying to explain this to someone who isn’t familiar with this condition difficult and frustrating. Thank you.