Physical Trauma

Trauma such as a car accident, a slip and fall, and any other physical trauma to the body has been named a possible cause of Fibromyalgia (FM). It's interesting that many of the responses to our FM/CFS/ME RESOURCES Survey have stated that after a whiplash or major injury from an accident, whether a car accident or otherwise, they began having the symptoms of FM.

Many people who are in emotionally charged situations on a chronic basis develop a stress response, called "fight or flight" from events that happened to us or our reaction to them. This is the physiological reaction in the body which allows the body to "fight" off attackers or "flight" - flee from the situation. This is why traumatic events such as sexual or physical abuse and alcoholism in the household can cause one to develop FM.

Disturbance In Brain Chemistry

Researchers have found elevated levels of spinal fluid substance P, a pain amplifier; lower levels of serotonin, and low production of cortisol (a stress hormone). A recent MRI study of the brain conducted by Dr. Patrick Wood of Louisiana State University Medical Center in Shreveport, LA, has revealed a possible root cause of FM is a lack of dopamine (a brain chemical) in the brain. His studies revealed that FM patients had significantly lower dopamine levels. In his drug study, patients were given medication to increase dopamine levels (medicines usually given to Parkinson Disease patients). Patients using this medication reported significant improvement of pain and other symptoms of FM. Is this dopamine theory really a theory, or is it fact? No one will really say with 100% certainty. More research is definitely needed.

Disturbed Sleep Patterns

Many FM patients suffer from disturbed sleep patterns. Researchers believe that the lack of the right type of sleep can be a contributing factor in developing FM. Some of these disturbances are:

• Alpha-EEG Anomaly
• Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
• Bruxism

Alpha-EEG Anomaly
The alpha-EEG sleep anomaly was first described by Hauri and Hawkins, who used the term alpha-delta sleep to characterize a mixture of alpha and delta waves in a small group of psychiatric patients described as having "a general feeling of chronic somatic malaise and fatigue". Researchers found that most FM patients could fall asleep without much trouble, however, their deep level (or stage 4 sleep) was constantly interrupted by bursts of wide-awake brain activity. This leaves sufferers feeling tired and drained. An alarming percentage of Fibromyalgia sufferers have Alpha EEG Anomaly.

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
Many people with FM suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) symptoms. RLS causes unpleasant sensations in the lower limbs, so much so that the limbs have to be moved in order to reduce the pain. RLS occurs mostly at night, between the hours of 10:00 pm and 4:00 am, although it can occur throughout the day in severe cases. It is thought that somewhere between 20% and 40% of FM sufferers also have RLS.

The sensations are unusual and unlike other common sensations, and those with RLS have a hard time describing them. People use words such as: uncomfortable, antsy, electrical, creeping, painful, itching, pins and needles, pulling, creepy-crawly, ants inside the legs, and many others. The sensation and the urge can occur in any body part; the most cited location is legs, followed by arms. Some people have little or no sensation, yet still have a strong urge to move.

Bruxism
Bruxism or teeth grinding, frequently affects people with FM. Bruxism is thought to be a part of a disease that is closely related to FM, called Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJD).

This disorder causes muscle pain in the face, neck, shoulders, and back, and often leads to grinding of the teeth. 75% of people with FM also have TMJD. Bruxism usually occurs when you are sleeping. For some reason, sufferers begin to clench the muscles in their face causing their teeth to grind together.

Often, bruxism occurs during sleep; even during short naps. In a typical case, the canines and incisors are commonly moved against each other laterally, i.e. with a side to side action. This abrades tooth enamel, removing the sharp biting surfaces and flattening the edges of the teeth. Sometimes, there is a tendency to grind the molars together, which can be loud enough to wake a sleeping partner. Some will clench without significant side to side jaw movement. Bruxism is one of the most common sleep disorders.