Just a few years ago, there was little discussion about fibromyalgia in the medical community. But what was once thought of as a psychosomatic complaint has become recognized by science as a disorder affecting millions each year.

So what is fibromalgia? Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain disorder characterized by widespread pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances.

"Fibromyalgia" literally means "muscle fiber pain". It is based on the person’s history of chronic widespread pain and the finding of tender points in specific locations.

It is often associated with other symptoms such as debilitating fatigue, difficulty sleeping, stiff joints, difficulty swallowing, abnormalities of the bowel and bladder, tingling, numbness, cognitive dysfunction and others.

Because fibromyalgia can involve many symptoms, the term "fibromyalgia syndrome" is often used. It should be noted though that not all sufferers will experience all of the associated symptoms.

It is important to note that the name "Fibromyalgia" is a misnomer. Since the pain is in the muscle and soft tissue, it was originally thought that Fibromyamlgia was a musculoskeletal disorder. However, recent research and the advancement of brain-imaging technology is revealing that fibromyalgia is actually a disorder of the central nervous system, which causes abnormal pain processing and results in pain amplification.

Many cases of fibro is discovered to be a secondary condition of dysautonomia.