Medically reviewed in July 2022
Despite the fact that fibromyalgia has finally gained widespread acceptance as a medical illness, myths abound regarding this poorly understood condition. So it's time for a reality check as we put aside some of the biggest fibromyalgia misconceptions.
MYTH: Fibromyalgia is all in your head.
Truth: Fibromyalgia is a real medical condition, which includes specific medical criteria for diagnosis. And fibromyalgia researchers are learning more and more about it. In fact, we now know that the nervous systems of people with fibromyalgia process pain signals differently than people who don't have the condition.
MYTH: Only lazy, inactive people get fibromyalgia.
Truth: Researchers actually suspect that many people who develop fibromyalgia are not lazy— they're actually driven people, and that the stress of that drive may play a role in wearing away a person's defenses against fibro symptoms.
MYTH: There are no effective fibro treatments.
Truth: Here's the good news. As more and more research is being done on fibromyalgia, we're learning more about it. And that's helping healthcare providers pinpoint better, more effective fibro treatments. The catch is that what works for one person may not work for another, so you need to work closely with a clinician to refine and modify your fibromyalgia treatment.
