The word Fibromyalgia is constructed from the Latin word “fibra” (fiber) and the Greek words “myo” (muscle) and “algos” (pain).

Fibromyalgia is a non-lethal, chronic, painful and non-inflammational disorder that mainly affects soft tissue and muscles, but can also be manifest in a large number of other dysfunctions.

The underlying causes for Fibromyalgia are unknown. It is still debated if Fibromyalgia is a skeletomuscular disease that also affects the nervous system or a neuropsychiatric condition manifesting in muscles and tissues.

Although there has been intensive research in the last decades and Fibromyalgia now is recognized as an illness by the American Medical Association, it also is a very poorly understood condition for which no cure has been found yet.
As the causes for Fibromyalgia are debated and ill defined, the condition is usually just described by its highly variable symptoms. It is therefore recommendable to rather speak of Fibromyalgia syndrome rather than just Fibromyalgia.

The medical term fatigue is derived from the French “fatigue” (weariness).
Fatigue as a medical term describes a symptom of exhaustion. It can be used to describe mental as well as physical weakness. Mental fatigue is characterized as a state of decreased wakefulness and attention.
Physical fatigue in contrast means a reduced muscle power in relation to the general physical constitution of a subject.