The History of Fibromyalgia

In this country, the disease fibromyalgia was not diagnosed until 1976, even though it can be found as far back in history as the Old Testament. A well known Bible character, Job, speaks of the physical anguish that fibromyalgia can cause. Florence Nightingale also reported fibromyalgia-like symptoms while serving as an Army nurse during the Crimean War in 1854. She became ill while working on the frontline and became bed-ridden for much of her life. She suffered from severe pain and fatigue until her death in 1910.

This mysterious illness has always been around, but it just began to be studied in the United States in 1976. Fibromyalgia, as the name indicates, affects the fibrous tissues of the muscles and causes extreme pain. Over the years, there has been a multitude of theories as to what causes the disease, but technical research can not justify its cause. In the 21st century, new laboratory tests and brain imaging has proven that fibromyalgia is a real physical disorder, which affects the nervous system. It includes all-over muscle pain that make it hard to do day-to-day tasks.

According to the American College of Rheumatology, to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a person must have wide-spread pain for over three months straight and pain in 11 out of the 18 parts of the body called "tender points." Women are the most highly diagnosed with this illness, although men can also get this disease.