Fibromyalgia is often seen in families, among siblings or mothers and their children.
Fibromyalgia isn't all that common. In the United States, it only affects about 5 million people, the majority of whom are women. More specifically, more than 80 percent of fibromyalgia cases are diagnosed in females. The disorder is also more common in young to middle aged adults. However, despite these statistics, fibromyalgia can affect anyone regardless of age or sex. It also runs in families and tends to affect people who suffer from rheumatic diseases, like lupus.
Fibromyalgia is becoming increasingly common and can be present in mild or extremely severe forms. It is estimated that it has increased in prevalence by 200-400% in the last 10-15 years, and now is present in as much as 4-8% of the adult population worldwide.
Fibromyalgia is a controversial diagnosis because the cause is not known, and some believe that it is not truly a disease but a collection of symptoms with different causes. As a result, the definition of fibromyalgia varies. A common definition is widespread pain and fatigue, involving both sides of the body above and below the waist. Using validated criteria for diagnosis, fibromyalgia is the most common cause of generalized musculoskeletal pain in women between 20-55 years of age, occurring in 2% of the population in the United States.
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Fibromyalgia can occur by itself, but people with certain other diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other types of arthritis, may be more likely to have it. Individuals who have a close relative with fibromyalgia are more likely to develop it themselves.
This answer is based on source information from the National Women's Health Information Center.
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