Which age group is most at risk of developing fibromyalgia?

Middle-aged people, especially women, are at the highest risk for developing fibromyalgia. The average age at diagnosis is 45. As you get older, the chances of getting fibro also increase, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, some people over 60 may get misdiagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (an inflammatory auto-immune disease) or polymyalgia rheumatica (a painful condition with similar symptoms to fibro), which doctors may think are more common in people over 60.

You may think that only adults get fibromyalgia, but that is incorrect. Fibromyalgia can occur in anyone at any age. Even kids are diagnosed with this painful syndrome. Around 3% to 5% of the US population has fibromyalgia. More women are diagnosed with fibromyalgia, though it is not uncommon for men to experience constant muscle pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and depression - all linked to fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is most common in people between 35 and 60 years of age. But symptoms often occur earlier in life, and may become more common as age increases.