Why Women Are More Prone to Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that causes widespread muscle and joint pain, fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, brain fog, and mood changes. While anyone can develop fibromyalgia, the condition is more common in women than men. 

At Coastal Spine & Sports Medicine, PLLC, in Wilmington, North Carolina, our team understands how frustrating chronic pain can be, especially when it affects your energy, mobility, and daily routine. 

Our pain management physician, Francis Pecoraro, MD, DABPMR, FAAPMR, specializes in treating fibromyalgia with evidence-based, nonsurgical therapies. 

Because fibromyalgia may come and go for years before you receive a clear explanation for the source of your pain, Dr. Pecoraro provides educational resources to help you recognize symptoms earlier, so you can better manage a fibromyalgia diagnosis.

The female pain response and fibromyalgia

Research shows that women, in general, are more likely to experience chronic pain conditions. Differences in pain sensitivity, nervous system activity, immune response, and inflammation can all contribute to the risk of chronic pain. 

Some women mistakenly believe the pain they have is all in their head, but fibromyalgia is a real condition that affects how your body identifies pain and responds to it.

The leading theory for why women are more susceptible to chronic pain from fibromyalgia and other conditions involves the changes in how their nervous system processes pain. 

Instead of pain signals being filtered normally, a woman’s brain and spinal cord may become more sensitive, causing everyday sensations to feel overwhelmingly painful. This is sometimes called abnormal pain processing or central sensitization.

The role of hormone changes in fibromyalgia

Hormones can also help explain why women are more prone to fibromyalgia. Estrogen and other reproductive hormones influence a woman’s pain sensitivity, sleep, mood, and inflammation. 

Many women notice that pain, fatigue, or flare-ups worsen around menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause.

Although hormones aren’t the only cause of fibromyalgia, hormonal shifts can make some women more vulnerable to symptom flare-ups. This is one reason fibromyalgia often becomes more noticeable during midlife, when hormonal changes and life stressors are more prevalent.

The link between stress, sleep, and your nervous system

Fibromyalgia is closely linked with poor sleep, chronic stress, and fatigue. Women often carry multiple physical and emotional demands, including work, caregiving, family responsibilities, and household tasks. 

This kind of long-term stress can affect the nervous system and make pain harder to control. Sleep disruption is also a factor. Deep, restorative sleep helps the body repair tissue, regulate hormones, and calm pain pathways. 

When sleep is consistently poor, pain sensitivity may increase, creating a cycle of discomfort, fatigue, and more sleep problems.

Risk factors associated with fibromyalgia

Women are more likely to live with certain conditions that may overlap with or increase the risk of fibromyalgia, including:

• Migraines
• Arthritis
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Autoimmune conditions

These conditions strain the nervous system, making chronic pain more complex.

Fibromyalgia can also develop after a physical injury, illness, surgery, infection, or emotional trauma. For some people, symptoms appear gradually. For others, they begin after a defined triggering event.

Why a fibromyalgia diagnosis is often delayed

Fibromyalgia can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms vary from person to person and often resemble other conditions. 

Many women are told their pain is due to stress, aging, or overactivity before receiving a proper evaluation. A thorough medical history, physical exam, and diagnostic testing can help rule out other causes of widespread pain and fatigue.

Solutions to manage chronic fibromyalgia pain

There’s no cure for fibromyalgia, but Coastal Spine & Sports Medicine offers solutions to manage your symptoms with a comprehensive care plan tailored to your individual needs.

Dr. Pecoraro and our team might recommend:

• Physical therapy
• Gentle stretching exercises
• Sleep improvement
• Stress management
• Medication
• Lifestyle changes

If you have underlying health issues, Dr. Pecoraro can collaborate with your other providers to keep those conditions under control while addressing your fibromyalgia symptoms.

Our team takes a patient-centered approach to chronic pain care. If widespread pain, fatigue, or recurring flare-ups are affecting your quality of life, you don’t have to manage it alone. 

Contact Coastal Spine & Sports Medicine today to schedule a consultation to discuss your symptoms and explore treatment options. You can also book your appointment online.