For most people, fibromyalgia seems to involve a cycle of muscle pain, increased sensitivity to pain, and inactivity that may be made worse by sleep problems and fatigue.

• Increasing pain causes a person to be less physically active.
• Muscles that are not exercised regularly are more likely to be irritated during activity. It is also possible that people with fibromyalgia are more sensitive to pain or have muscles that are more easily irritated.
• The irritated muscles are painful. Some doctors think that the muscles of people with fibromyalgia remain sore because they do not repair themselves as well as the muscles of people who do not have this condition.
• Muscle pain, sometimes occurring together with disrupted sleep and daytime fatigue, leads to less and less activity.

Although fibromyalgia is a long-lasting (chronic) condition with no cure, it can be controlled and does not damage the muscles, joints, or internal organs. People usually can manage symptoms with home treatment, especially exercise. Treatment with medicines may be helpful when sleep problems, severe pain, or depression develop. Unfortunately, a few people may not respond to any treatment measures.

Most people with fibromyalgia adjust to their symptoms and are able to continue working and participating in daily activities more or less as usual. But some may have to adjust their work duties and lifestyle if their symptoms are severe.