From my own experience and research, I believe that it is.
I feel very strongly about this issue because I was mistakenly misdiagnosed with Fibromyalgia by a prestigious institution based on my answers to a questionnaire, even though I tried multiple times to various people that those answers were inaccurate when taken at face value and required explanations that were not an option on the form and that the questions I answered accurately, which could apply to symptoms of Fibromyalgia were due to injuries, a diagnosis of hypermobility/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, muscle soreness from exercise, temporary insomnia due to post-menopausal hormonal issues and the fact that I participate in a rather extreme sport six to eight hours a week. The National Institute of Health states that a Fibromyalgia label does not apply when “a somatic disease sufficiently explaining the symptoms is excluded”.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6016048/
- There are no definitive tests for Fibromyalgia and it isn’t uncommon for people labeled with it to have lab test results in the normal range. Variations of the symptoms have been discussed as a possible syndrome as early as 1592, including conditions that would include arthritis. From the early 1800’s to just a few decades ago, the condition was labeled Fibrocytis, though few could agree on the exact symptoms or origin, but it was often linked to stress. In 1968, physician Eugene F. Traut described a condition that most closely resembles the condition we recognize today as Fibromyalgia. He listed
- Female predominance
- Generalized aching and stiffness
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Colitis
- Poor sleep
- Being “worry worts”
- Tender points discovered by physical exam
- An important mind-body connection
There is also mention in some articles on the subject about people who requested frequent medical testing.
Today the label or “diagnosis” of Fibromyalgia (also sometimes called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or CFS) is given to people, mostly women, who have some of the following symptoms, often regardless of the physical or psychological causes:
Pain and stiffness all over the body
Fatigue and tiredness
Depression and anxiety
Sleep problems
Chemical sensitivities
Problems with thinking, memory, and concentration
Headaches, including migraines
Environmental sensitivities
Tingling or numbness in hands and feet
Pain in the face or jaw, including disorders of the jaw known as temporomandibular joint syndrome (also known as TMJ)
Digestive problems, such as abdominal pain, bloating, constipation
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Conditions that also share these symptoms but with testable diagnostic criteria include:
Lyme Disease
Hypemobility/Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Chemical and heavy metal exposure
Mold toxicity
Multiple Sclerosis
Diabetes
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Thyroid disease
Autoimmune conditions
Anemia
Fibromyalgia is not recognized by everyone in the medical community and it can be a controversial subject. A very real concern is that once someone is labeled with Fibromyalgia, attempts to diagnose the true root causes and underlying conditions will be halted.
A number of medical professionals have linked a syndrome known as Central Sensitivity Syndrome (CSS) with Fibromalgia and some have said that the terms can be used interchangeably. In my opinion and experience, I believe that this may be an attempt to assign a root cause to a “diagnosis” without a recognized root cause. An article in a Rheumatology Journal identifies many types of CSS, with Fibromyalgia being only one example
CSS is identified as an overreaction by the central nervous system to harmless or mild stimulation, causing great pain. I find this definition demeaning and dismissive. As a Licensed Counselor for over thirty yeatrs, I recognize that the nervous system can be quite sensitive and overstimulated and that psychological, emotional or even spiritual root causes can lead to CSS but making a blanket assumption that something like sensitivity to chemical exposure is a harmless stimulation is insulting. I am also concerned that if people are diagnosed with CSS, that just like Fibromyalgia, the root cause or contributing factors will not be identified and treated.
Extreme sensitivity of the nervous system can be caused or contributed to by many conditions including:
Trauma and PTSD
Chronic Illness and Pain
Autoimmune conditions
Frequent injury or infections
Gut bacterial imbalance
Nutritional deficiencies
Eating Disorders
Mood disorders
Hormone imbalance
Histamine sensitivity and Mast Cell Disorder
Intense stress, from a variety of conditions including abusive relationships
I believe that root cause medicine is the only way to effectively diagnose and treat and that all root causes should be considered, physical, emotional, and spiritual. If you need help discovering and treating the ROOT CAUSES of your symptoms, make an appointment on my website and get a copy of my book Heal from Within.
- Dydyk, A. M., et al. (2022). Central pain syndrome.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553027 - Fibromyalgia. (2021).
https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/fibromyalgia - Fleming, K. C., et al. (2015). Central sensitization syndrome and the initial evaluation of a patient with fibromyalgia: A review.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4422459/ - Hazra, S. et al. (2020). A cross-sectional study on central sensitization and autonomic changes in fibromyalgia.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2020.00788/full - Ji, R.-P., et al. (2019). Neuroinflammation and central sensitization in chronic and widespread pain.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6051899/
https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-history-of-fibromyalgia-716153
Bio:
Katie Beecher, MS, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Medical and Emotional Intuitive with over thirty years of experience. Katie is featured in over 200 media outlets including Goop, Kourtney Kardashian’s website Poosh and Miranda Kerr’s Kora Organics Blog and has taught a weeklong workshop at the Omega Institute. She has a unique way of working with clients, creating a detailed, individualized, physical, emotional, and spiritual report and symbolic painting, before ever seeing them, talking with them or seeing a photograph, using only their name and age.
Katie’s first book, Heal from Within: An Intuitive Guide to Wellness is published by St. Martin’s Press. Using practical tools and techniques Katie uses in her own medical and spiritual intuitive readings, the book teaches you to be your own medical intuitive using Katie’s revolutionary, step-by-step process for connecting to intuition and spirit, finding self-love and empowerment as well as how to heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Heal from Within is filled with remarkable stories of healing from her years of experience as well as her own healing from bulimia, Lyme disease and depression.