10 Steps to Clarity: Unraveling Fibromyalgia's Causes, Risks, Complications, and Triggers

4. Infections

Different types of infections in an individual's body can cause fibromyalgia flare-ups. Some individuals who contract an infection believe it causes this disorder to develop, but the infection has just caused a flare-up of undiagnosed symptoms. In other cases, the bacteria, virus, or other pathogen that caused the infection is never eliminated and hovers around. This can result in continuous low-grade infection in the body. Persistent low-grade infections can activate autoimmune responses that trigger fibromyalgia. Certain infections can leave permanent alterations in an individual's body after the infection is eliminated that can cause this disorder. Viruses, such as cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, influenza viruses, and adenoviruses, can result in permanent changes that trigger the fibromyalgia cascade. Bacterial infections can also trigger this cascade, including those that cause salmonella and listeria. Parasite and yeast infections have also caused this disorder, including candida yeast and giardia infections.