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Lady Gaga And Morgan Freeman Both Have Fibromyalgia. Here's What It Is

29 JUN 2019

At least one in 10 of us suffer some sort of troublesome, long-term (chronic) pain. But not all have fibromyalgia.

People with fibromyalgia have chronic widespread pain - including musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, and soft tissue tenderness - in many areas across the body.


This affects other systems like the brain, impacting a person's ability to concentrate and remember things. People who have fibromyalgia often refer to this as the "fibro fog". It can affect sleep patterns, emotions, and many other aspects of everyday living.



What causes fibromyalgia?

When investigations can find no other cause for widespread chronic pain, it's generally diagnosed as fibromyalgia.

We don't know exactly what causes fibromyalgia, but genetics, environment, hormonal and neural (brain and central nervous system) factors are all believed to play a role. Research indicates genes may be responsible for up to 50 percent of susceptibility to the condition. The latest research indicates the body's immune system is involved, too.




Who is affected?

Fibromyalgia affects around 2 percent of the world's population. A recent literature review showed the frequency of fibromyalgia in the general population was between 0.2 and 6.6 percent. It's often reported as higher in women, at a ratio of three to one.

The World Health Organisation recognised fibromyalgia as a disease in 1994. Since then, doctors have debated how fibromyalgia should be diagnosed and who should diagnose it, leading to the so-called "fibro wars". It continues to be controversial.

The latest version of the International Classification of Diseases says for someone to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, there needs to be pain in "at least 4 of 5 body regions and is associated with significant emotional distress".

The American College of Rheumatology devised a widely accepted test which looks for 11 points from 18 potential tender points of pain from areas across the body using what's called the widespread pain index.

How is it treated?





Many of these medications can have side effects, including constipation, or allergic reactions like digestive upset or inflammation. They can also be addictive. Always be honest with your GP about what painkillers you're taking so they can help you safely manage your pain.






How about the future?





Michael Musker, Senior Research Fellow, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute and Tiffany Gill, Senior Research Fellow, University of Adelaide.
