Unraveling the Enigma of Fibromyalgia: Causes, Risks, Complications and Triggers Explained

5. Gender And Age

An individual's gender and age can cause them to be at an increased risk of developing fibromyalgia in comparison to others. More than five million Americans over eighteen years old have been diagnosed with this disorder. Of those diagnosed, between eighty and ninety percent are female. Females also have more extensive symptoms than males. On average, females have tenderness or pain at between eleven and eighteen different points, where males typically have around six. While the exact reasons behind the gender imbalance in this condition are not entirely understood, it is known to be associated with a couple of factors. Upon discovering that fibromyalgia peaks when a female is in her reproductive years, hormone fluctuations and differences between genders have been implicated. The higher level of testosterone and endorphins in males can cause them to have a higher threshold of pain than females. The average age of individuals at the time of diagnosis is approximately forty-five years old. The risk for fibromyalgia increases as an individual gets older. The age of diagnosis is not always the age at which the individual experiences the onset of their symptoms. While most experience first symptoms in their middle years, this disorder can happen in an individual of any age.

6. Stress

Stress does not cause individuals to develop fibromyalgia. However, it can and does trigger symptom flare-ups in patients who already have the condition. Specifically, stress can impact an individual's pain perception. It also weakens their body and immune system. Both of these results make individuals more likely to experience fibromyalgia symptoms, including fatigue and chronic pain. Thus, stressful days are often those with the most severe symptoms. Practicing stress management and avoiding stress triggers when possible are both vital to individuals reducing the severity of their fibromyalgia symptoms.