Most people with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) also have a few other illnesses, and both research and observation have long shown that specific illnesses tend to accompany FMS and ME/CFS.
In a review of FMS literature, noted researcher Dr. Muhammed Yunus presents evidence for the cluster of illnesses we generally see all having a key feature in common: central sensitization (CS). As a group, they're called central sensitivity syndromes (CSS), although some of the conditions are classified as diseases.
The many illnesses Yunus identifies as CSS include:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- TMD/TMJ (temporomadibular disorder)
- Restless legs syndrome
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Osteoarthritis
- Diabetes
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Carpal tunnel disorder
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Multiple chemical sensitivity
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Gulf War illness
- Interstitial cystitis
- Vulvodynia
Yunus says it's important for doctors to be aware of these overlaps so they can accurately diagnose and manage FMS when it accompanies other conditions.
What is Central Sensitization?
Usually when we hear about sensitization or sensitivity, it has to do with an allergy. In an allergy, the body becomes sensitive to a particular substance and thereafter reacts inappropriately to it.
The central part of CS refers to the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and spinal column. The central nervous system, in these conditions, because sensitized to "noxious stimuli," which is basically any input that's unpleasant - pain, bright light, certain noises, etc. As with an allergy, the body begins to react inappropriately to that input.
As a result, what should be mild discomfort becomes pain, an obnoxious noise may trigger pain or anxiety, and light pressure from a waistband may cause a burning feeling on the skin and a deep ache in the muscles and connective tissues.
Yunus says evidence supports the theory that CS is a causal factor in these illnesses and the reason that they so often occur together. (Causal factor means that it is one of many causes that come together and not the sole cause.) Having one CSS predisposes you to the others.
My Experience
I can see CS at work in my life from an early age. I have myofascial pain syndrome, which I believe started with an accident at age 10 that jarred my entire spine and caused lasting muscle damage and, I'd eventually learn, multiple trigger points. I've had chronic pain since then.
In high school, I started having mild TMJ symptoms. In college, my job waiting tables lead to carpal tunnel disorder. I had severe gestational diabetes with both pregnancies.
Close relatives on my mother's side have/had diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, interstitial cystitis, osteoarthritis and multiple chemical sensitivity. This is a good example of a genetic predisposition toward CS, which Yunus discusses.
Which CS conditions do you have? Which others are present in your family? Leave your comments below!
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I have Fibromyalgia, Endometriosis, Irritable Bowel Disease, Restless Leg Syndrome, Osteoarthritis, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Carpal Tunnel Disorder and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. I’ve often wondered why nobody made the connection between the illnesses. I knew there had to be a connection and I only wish the Medical Community would look more closely at that connection.
I was diagnosed Fibromyalgia four years ago and I have had the symdrome as below:
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Restless legs syndrome
•• Systemic lupus disease
• Carpal tunnel disorder
• Myofascial pain syndrome
All of the above things is affecting my daily life like plainy piano and harp. Because of pain, I cannot practise more the a hour every day….so I cannot take the performing level exam…..
I have rheumatoid arthritis and hypothyroidism
i was diagnosed with cfs & fibro and also the following
•Chronic fatigue syndrome
•Irritable bowel syndrome
•TMD/TMJ (temporomadibular disorder)
•Restless legs syndrome
Osteoarthritis•
•Inflammatory bowel disease
•Carpal tunnel disorder
•Myofascial pain syndrome
•Multiple chemical sensitivity
•Post-traumatic stress disorder
•Interstitial cystitis
i suspect that i have Ankylosing spondylitis, but no diagnosis. i have been ill for many many years. i am 49 and started the diagnostic process when i was 31. i also have had espstein barr. gall bladder disease that almost poisoned me to death when i was 42. i have chronic sinus infection, ashma and severe allergies. also have frequent bladder, rectal and vaginal yeast infections but no diabetes which is what yeast is associated with. i suffer from almost every form of headaches. i can not remember a day in my life that i have been headache free.
i hope for a medical breakthrough every day.
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia+cfs nearly 5years ago..since then, I have started getting lots of other symptoms including restless leg syndrome, extreme sensitivity to light+noise+skin pain, +food allergies..plus I have severe Tmj-which I have had surgery for,also steroid injections+Botox!
I’m not happy with the way I have been treated by my Gp- given anti depressants,co codamol+basically told ‘get on with it,u’ll be ok’ +like I’m wasting their time. I know myself that alot of symptoms I get are fm+cfs, but I would love it if someone would listen to me+,if possible,help me!:)
Hla-b27 is a genetic marker which you can be tested for to see if you have AS. I have it, simple blood test. I also have ibs, which I now relate to being lactose intolerant! I have osteoarthritis, restless leg, 3 herniated discs, reverse curve of the neck. Sensitivity to sound, light and touch. Need to have weighted bedding. I have also been diagnosed with Gilbert’s Syndrome. Also I have some other gene where my immune system is hyper-sensitive and fights itself and causes inflammation. I have severe chemical sensitivity, and can’t be around cigarette smoke at all without getting sick. Also, vertigo. Ok I am stopping, did I mention it is time to get out of bed! Also vitamin d deficient, but found taking more d supplement caused me to get kidney stones!
As I read these comments I see my own history with fatigue, random pain and stiffness, IBS, headache, AS etc. My health issues were triggered by an exposure to a pesticide. I am wondering how many of you can define a chemical injury with your onset of symptoms.
diagnosed with FM in 1993, Interstitial cystitis, hypothyroid, hypoadrenalism, endometriosis, psoriatic arthritis, TMJ, restless leg, I also believe I have AS but not diagnosed yet, plantar facisitis, OSA for which I had extensize recontructive surgery, I have rejected titanium, multiple issues with bursitis and tendonitis, yeast overload,pernicious anemia, and just waiting for the next axe to fall. I still work full time at my own business, but am no where near as productive as I was even a couple of years ago.
Fm, carpal tunnel, high RA factor, irritable bowel, gestational diabetes, diseased gall bladder removed.
I live in South Dakota and have trouble getting any diagnosis other than general Fibromyalgia from a nuerologist, ruematoidologist and dermatologist.. In 2005 I went to the Mayo Clinic in Minnisota with the same outcome. I know I suffer from restless leg, bladder problems, chemical sensitivity, sound sensitivity, light sensitivity, brain fog, freguent headaches and migraines, allergies, skin pain, rashes, and irritable bowel syndrome just to name a few. I was uninsured from 2006 until this past April. The insurance I now carry is supplied from a job change by my husband. Is my lack of insurance and money the reason or is it the area I live? Help, I feel hopeless!
First I experienced leg pain when I was 12 years old, my parents said it was growing pains, 39 years later I still have those pains when I lay down at night.
From Birth: sensitive to emotions and injuries, plus lived in a household with lots of hatred and meanness
Nothing seemed to happen until age 20, extreme relationship stress…than my genetic defects (I believe) broke….
First IBS
Second Immune system problem leaving me vulnerable to respiratory and GI viruses that I got all the time I was working at a RN in Cardiac ICU
Than an accident:
RSD – I controlled a bit with hyperbaric oxygen. However, my nervous system was already set up….
Also thoracic outlet syndrome
myofascial pain
RLS
body structure damaged plus, structure is abnormal…
Neck pain and problems – later had surgery for herniation
Back pain – again another disc had to be replaced yrs later
fibromyalgia
inflammatory condition still not understood
autoimmune thyroid
Multiple allergies – very reactive too
dysautonomia
depression
anxiety
post traumatic stress disorder
literal brain damage- temporal lobe memory loss probably from:steroids letting viruses take over,
that was the beginning of true chronic fatigue syndrome
Flying and rain/snow are very bad for my health
very severe pain reactions that can’t be anything but sympathetically mediated with central sensitization issues
Family hx: back problems, depression, autoimmune thyroid, some wierd blindness genetic stuff, diabetes-like everyone, cancer….no doubt there’s more
Doctors don’t know what they are doing! I have grown so incensed I wrote “The Diagnoses”, for orchestra. As they say, art comes from great suffering. You can hear it on the above link.
The clustering of problems experienced by central sensitization is indeed interesting. However, one should recognize that fibromyalgia itself has many symptoms. Many of those that Myrna lists–light and sound sensitivity, brain fog, headaches, brain fog, irritable bowel, even rashes–are common fibromyalgia symptoms.
I started with Fibro, which then went away for about four years. Ah relief, I thought it was gone. No such luck. I was diagnosed with narcolepsy in 2005. Narcolepsy that caused me to wake up 16 times an hour and get no refreshing sleep, so I was trying to sleep 16-20 hours a day. As I got that under control with medication, my fibro started up again, so I have narcolepsy, fibromyalgia, IBS, venous insuffiency in my legs, neuropathy (can’t feel my feet, but have no diabetes), arthritis in hands, naturally, depression. On a narcolepsy site I visit, about 50% of us have fibro. About 30% of us have IBS. Talking to my rheumatologist, she said that a lot of fibro problems are caused as a sleep disorder, wake someone up enough times and they will develop fibro. I originally went to her to be checked for lupus, and she confirmed the arthritis and fibromyalgia. I had to apply for disability last month because I was struggling so hard to continue my job, and they said I was not doing my job well enough. So I was terminated. Today is a bad day for me. Hope 2012 is better for all of us.
I have fibromyalgia, hypopituitarism, prolactinoma, ringing in my ears, depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, carpal tunnel, eczema…..
I really emphasize with you all.
For me it’s:
Fibromyalgia
IBS
Restless Leg Syndrome (very mild)
Asthma
Anxiety
I’m particularly intrigued with Pat’s comment about exposure to pesticide.
As a child, I lived in a home which had been painted (internally) with paint that included added insecticide.
Awful to think that something like that could have life-long effects…
Isn’t it interesting to see the recurring themes of CS. As a child I always had bad colds. As a result of military sexual trama at 18, I was diagnosed with PTSD over thirty years after the fact. I believe did much to contribute to fibro and probably CFS. Have dealt with pain all my life that quadrupled less than a year after a total hysterectomy. The VA (veterans administration) couldn’t understand why I had the extreme pain problems I was having after being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease of the back, neck, and shoulder. It took two more years until I received a diagnosis of fibro. Also was diagnosed with CFS (no exact testing for it however) by several doctors in 99′ and 00′. Have always been what can be termed a HSP, highly sensitive person, with a tendency towards depression and anxiety. So there you have my story.
Hi, I also have a lot of different ailments. As a young child I had a constant runny nose, and disliked milk. On my mother’s side there is a wheat intolerance. I seemed to have a constant cold which I now realise was allergic rhinitis. Childhood was pretty awful. At 14 I had pleurisy. In my late 20’s I was tested for allergies. I was not significantly allergic to anything, but ever so slightly allergic to everything! My theory is that I had allergic rhinitis from the day I was born, or perhaps the home situation brought it on. Nothing was ever done to deal with rhinitis, probably because I was not allergic to flowers or grass so defied the name Hay Fever. Having this ‘foundational’ attack on my immune system and slight intolerances all the time, has I feel, made my system vulnerable to anything that comes along.
I have most of the things mentioned before, but also Menieres Syndrom, but before fibro was thought of, Chronic Kidney Disease, Sciatica, Gout, High BP etc. etc.. I don’t like visiting doctors as they usually say there is nothing they can do for me.
I use meditation, and various subliminal tapes. I have used all manner of complementary therapies. The most efficacious has been Bowen Therapy, but I can’t afford it at present. Someone has kindly lent me a magnetic sleep system. I am going to buy magnetic soles – they are a little more gentle than the sleep system. I have become interested in this since I learnt that an agent in London was in a wheel chair because of fibro and after using magnets she is now running her own business and her fibro symptoms are very much under control.
My biggest frustration is not being able to concentrate for very long, or finding something simple like potting a couple of plants takes me 40 mins with a 2 day rest period needed afterwards! But i really do miss my reading, being able to read for no more than 15 mins drives me mad!
Good luck to everyone and if the magnetic soles help I will let you know..
Hi everyone
Have you heard about Glycobiology?
Maybe it could help some of you with your problems.
check out my blog about it:
http://glycobiology.wordpress.com
WOW! This is exactly why so many are using treatmentdiaries.com as a way to connect across all illness. This makes sense as to why so many of our users are registered for multiple conditions – much like those in the comments above. We hope you will stop in to the site and see how others are coping and healing through shared diaries in encourgagement. We are here to help!
I have RSD/CRPS, fibromyalgia & now RLS. I find it difficult to believe that there is no link between these 3 disfunctional nerve based conditions.
I was part of a study at Stanford adressing RSD in he upper extremeties. The outcome revealed that people with chronic
pain LOSE up to 6% of their brain! The remaining brain learns
to take over the functions from lost part, much like stroke
victims. I’m thinking that might be the cause of the loss of
cognitive thinking associated with chronic pain.
Diagnosed recently with CSS after evaluation at Mayo.
Symptoms that led to this diagnosis:
* Facial pain/swelling
* Blurred vision
* Nausea
* Fatigue
* Brain fog
History of severe nerve damage due to surgery (Popliteal By-pass) performed due to Femoral artery being destroyed by a heart cath. Colon resection ( Diverticulitis w/ fistula). Multiple diagnosis of this being a silent migraine prior to CSS diagnosis.