No Cure, No Cause For Fibromyalgia

Plain and simple, the cause of fibromyalgia is unknown. Without an identified cause of this syndrome, it technically has no cure. The many symptoms can be treated effectively, but fibromyalgia in its entire clinical picture rarely goes into spontaneous remission. The causes of fibromyalgia theories abound in the medical research and literature, each one a subject of hot debate among rheumatologists. If the actual cause of fibromyalgia were known, this would result in much more aggressive and effective treatment of symptoms, and may even result in remission. But as of today, this is not the case.

What Do We Know About The Cause Of Fibromyalgia?

Examining and researching the cluster of symptoms of this syndrome consists of a series of "why?" inquiries that may eventually lead to identifying the cause of fibromyalgia: 80% of sufferers are women in their middle years: why? Depression is a major symptom of fibromyalgia: why? Fibromyalgia symptoms have many similarities with the symptoms of systemic lupus: why? People with fibromyalgia almost always have a close relative who also suffers from the syndrome: why? None of the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be outwardly observed or laboratory-tested: why? The complete fibromyalgia profile includes pain in trigger points on the body, chronic fatigue, Sjogren's syndrome (excessive dryness of the eyes and mucous membranes), lack of restorative sleep, sensitivity to heat and cold, morning muscle and joint stiffness and pain, increased symptoms during periods of stress, a lowered immune system, and episodes of oral thrush: why? Perhaps if we could tie these symptoms together into some rational clinical picture, we would be closer to understanding the cause of fibromyalgia.

Current medical research can only identify possible causes of fibromyalgia: a traumatic emotional experience, stress, depression, deficiencies in magnesium, phosphate and substrate minerals, biological disruption of natural energy production, chronic fatigue, low levels of growth hormones, heredity from relatives who have the syndrome, and disruption of deep, restorative REM sleep. The question is, are these symptoms of the syndrome, or the causes of fibromyalgia?

Successful treatment of symptoms may give some indications as to the causes of fibromyalgia. If a specific treatment works, such as vitamin and herb supplements, medications that strengthen the immune system and disrupt pain signals to the brain, and medications that restore deep, healing REM sleep, may lead to a better understanding of the actual cause of fibromyalgia. In other words, if a treatment works, why does it work?

Medical science is still a long way from identifying a cause for fibromyalgia. It does exist, and it responds to certain treatments, but it remains an "idiopathic" condition without a known cause or definitive treatment to put it into remission.

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