Fibromyalgia: When the Immune System Attacks Itself

Fibromyalgia: When the Immune System Attacks Itself
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Introduction
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that causes pain in the body and is also known as the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Suffers of this disorder also experience fatigue and have elevated sensitivity to pain, headaches, memory loss, irritable bowels and in most cases muscles stiffness. Even though there are no known causes of fibromyalgia, the disorder is thought to be related to changes in the central nervous system and abnormality of chemicals in the brain. Genetic predisposition and environmental factors influence the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia. The conditions typically appear when one experiences stress in life. The disorder typically affects the way suffers feel pain sensations, and this depends on how the brain processes pain. Autoimmunity appears when the immune system attacks cells and tissues because the immune system cannot differentiate these and foreign microbes. This paper highlights on the causes, diagnosis, management and role of genetic biomarkers in influencing autoimmunity in fibromyalgia.
Causes
The factors that trigger fibromyalgia vary from person to person and some people are more susceptible to the condition. Viral infections, physical injuries, emotional distress and hormonal imbalances may trigger FMS. The condition typically exists through stimuli that are not painful but which may result to chronic widespread allodynia. Similarly, biologic abnormalities also increase susceptibility and any other factors including elevated spinal fluid levels. In most cases, allodynia of fibromyalgia emanates from sensitization of the central nervous system. FMS is not a disease, but rather a chronic pain condition that occurs as a response to stress. The opiod receptors are less responsive in comparison to those of healthy people and this could explain fibromyalgia respond to pain.
Assessment and diagnosis
One of the challen...