History of Fibromyalgia
by Sherron M. Stonecypher, July 7, 1999
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Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic pain disorder that causes widespread pain, tenderness, and stiffness in muscles, as well as general fatigue.
SINCE the early 1800's, physicians have written about a condition involving fatigue, stiffness, aches, pains, and disturbed sleep, which lacked diagnostic explanation, calling it muscular rheumatism. In 1824, a physician in Edinburgh described tender points 1.
A psychiatrist in the United States wrote in 1880 about a collection of symptoms consisting of fatigue, widespread pain, and psychological disturbances. He called it neurasthenia and attributed it to the stress of modern life 2.
In 1904, Sir William Gowers introduced the term "fibrositis" ("fibro–" means to fiber; "–itis" means inflammation) into the medical lexicon to denote the sore points found in patients with muscular rheumatism. When no evidence of inflammation could be found, physicians realized the term "fibrositis" was incorrect. In 1976, "fibromyalgia" ("my–" means muscle; "–algia" means pain) was introduced to replace the misnomer "fibrositis" coined by Gowers 3.
Notes
1. ME Williamson, Fibromyalgia: A Comprehensive Approach, (New York: Walker and Company, 1996). (Return to text)
2. Williamson, Fibromyalgia. (Return to text)
3. S Krsnich–Shriwise, "Fibromyalgia Syndrome: An Overview," Physical Therapy 77, January (1997): 68-75. (Return to text)
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