Toward a Better Understanding
Pain. Fatigue. Sleep problems. What is the connection between this triad of symptoms? Does the pain cause the fatigue? Or does fatigue cause pain? Is poor sleep a symptom of fibromyalgia? Or a result of it? Or, more likely, is there some common underlying mechanism that gives rise to all three? Answers to these questions could help provide a better understanding of fibromyalgia.
Clearly, a lot of research has been done on the pain of fibromyalgia. But people who develop fibromyalgia don't just develop pain. Most also develop fatigue and sleep disorders, as well as Raynaud's phenomenon, irritable bowel and/or bladder, tremors, tingling/numbness, and difficulty with thinking and memory. Whatever is causing their pain must also be related to these other conditions.
As researchers look deeper into the mechanisms that affect all three primary symptoms, they will be pinpointing the factors at the root of fibro. Hopefully, that will guide them toward medications that will someday cure the illness, not just cover up symptoms.
Fact
A study funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases has found that fibromyalgia seems to have more of a genetic connection than rheumatoid arthritis (RA). As compared to RA, family members of people with fibro were more likely to also have fibro. The research raises the prospect of a genetic link in fibromyalgia.
