How do fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue differ?
CFS and fibromyalgia are classified as distinct conditions, yet they share many characteristics. Chronic fatigue is the primary complaint of an individual with CFS, whereas fibromyalgia is characterized by pain and stiffness throughout the body. The pain migrates throughout the body, with the upper neck and back most commonly involved. As with CFS, people with fibromyalgia often suffer from fatigue as well as brain fog, but the leading symptom is pain. Complicating the issue further, it is common to have both CFS and fibromyalgia.
About 4 million adults in the United States have fibromyalgia, and the risk increases with aging. Women are at twice the risk for fibromyalgia compared to men. In addition, people who have had lupus or rheumatoid arthritis have an elevated risk of developing fibromyalgia.
People with fibromyalgia may have difficulty with concentration, memory, and thinking (brain fog), and they may suffer from headaches and sleep problems. Most people with fibromyalgia are diagnosed in their middle age, although people of any age may be affected by these debilitating symptoms. There are two other distinctions between the two conditions. Some research supports the idea that physical exercise is helpful for fibromyalgia but may make CFS worse.
The FDA has approved several medications for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Pregabalin (Lyrica), duloxetine (Cymbalta), or milnacipran (Savella) all have adequate data studies showing their usefulness for fibromyalgia symptoms. These medications will help certain types of fibromyalgia pain, specifically neuropathy (nerve tingling) and sometimes muscle aches. It is important to note that they do not significantly help brain fog and other impairing cognitive symptoms common to fibromyalgia and CFS.
