Fibromyalgia is a Functional Pain Syndrome

Until recently, I hadn't heard of the term FPS, which stands for Functional Pain Syndrome. So I looked it up, and here's what I found:

When someone is in pain but doctors can’t find a clear physical cause, it’s often called functional pain. The diagnosis depends on where the pain is felt — for example, in the stomach for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or in the muscles and joints for those with Fibromyalgia (FM).

Experts are now changing how they think about FPS. Instead of seeing each chronic pain condition as separate, they’re starting to group them under a broader idea called Central Sensitivity Syndrome (CSS). This means that the brain and nervous system are more sensitive to pain signals.

Fibromyalgia is one type of FPS.

Fibromyalgia is a type of Functional Pain Syndrome, which means it causes real pain even though doctors can't find a clear injury or damage in the body.

In my opinion, it would be very helpful if doctors could tell us something about a brand-new pain we are experiencing - is it caused by Fibromyalgia or by something else? Is it just fibromyalgia that just feels different or is showing up in a new area? Is it relted to something completely different and not fibromyalgia? But fibro does not seem to work like that. It is not clear cut and cannot be seen in any blood tests or xrays etc. 

People with fibromyalgia often feel pain from things that wouldn’t bother most people — like a light touch. This is likely because their nervous system has become overly sensitive, a process known as central sensitization.

What is perceived as touch in an individual from the general population is perceived as pain in individuals suffering from FM. This is probably due to their central sensitization.  

Dr David Crabtree & Dr Praveen Ganty 

Central sensitization means the brain and spinal cord react too strongly to pain signals. This happens because of a complicated mix of chemicals in the body that either increase or decrease pain. This might also explain why people with fibromyalgia often feel tired, have memory issues, and struggle with sleep and mood problems.

How does knowing all this help me (I can here you asking)

Knowing that fibromyalgia is a Functional Pain Syndrome can be really comforting and helpful, especially when you're trying to make sense of what’s going on with your body.

It means:

💡 Your pain is real.
Even if tests come back normal, what you’re feeling isn’t "in your head." Your nervous system is just working differently and that’s something good doctors now understand better.

🧭 You’re not alone.
There are many others living with the same condition. It has a name, it has patterns, and there are communities and support out there.

🌱 There are ways to feel better.
Once doctors know what’s really going on, they can focus on treatments that actually help like managing stress, improving sleep, gentle movement, and sometimes medications that calm the nervous system.

❤️ It’s not your fault.
You didn’t cause this. Your brain and body are reacting in a certain way, and now that there’s a clearer understanding of why, you can be kinder to yourself and more hopeful moving forward.

These sources go into more depth if you want to explore the science or treatment options further: 

1. Mayo Clinic Proceedings – “Fibromyalgia: Understanding the Pathogenesis”
   https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(15)00243-8/fulltext

2. ScienceDirect – “Neurobiology of central sensitization”
   https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306452216302366

3. Verywell Health – “Understanding Central Sensitivity Syndromes”
   https://www.verywellhealth.com/central-sensitivity-syndromes-716160

4. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine (CCJM) – “Fibromyalgia and Central Sensitization Syndrome”
   https://www.ccjm.org/content/90/4/245

5. Common Functional Pain Syndromes                        https://www.bjaed.org/article/S2058-5349(17)30034-3/fulltext