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The Daily Insight

Is fibromyalgia a central sensitivity syndrome?

Author

Eleanor Gray

Updated on March 05, 2026

Is fibromyalgia a central sensitivity syndrome?

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FM), the most common central sensitivity syndrome (CSS) affecting over 5% of the population, is a disorder of chronic widespread pain accompanied by numerous other symptoms that causes significant functional impairment.

What type of hypersensitivity is fibromyalgia?

Connective tissue diseases (CTD) is a group of inflammatory disorders. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic rheumatic disease with an unknown etiology. Many patients with CTD and FM have delayed-type hypersensitivity to metals. Metal-induced inflammation triggers CTD and FM in metal-allergic patients.

What are the signs and symptoms of central sensitization?

Symptoms of central sensitization disorders include:

  • Widespread pain.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Fatigue, poor sleep.
  • Headaches.
  • Anxiety and depression.
  • Poor memory or concentration.

What is central sensitivity syndrome?

Central sensitivity syndromes (CSSs) represent a heterogeneous group of disorders (e.g., fibromyalgia [FM], irritable bowel syndrome [IBS], chronic headache, temporomandibular disorders [TMDs], pelvic pain syndromes) that share common symptoms, with persistent pain being the most prominent feature.

Is central sensitization permanent?

Neuron hyperexcitability, known as “central sensitization,” occurs. Glutamate and other excitatory amino acids are released in the inflammatory process causing tissue destruction in the CNS. In this process, memory of the pain somehow becomes permanently imprinted.

Is central sensitization a neurological disorder?

Central sensitization is a condition of the nervous system associated with the development and maintenance of chronic pain. The confusing part of this condition is that pain itself can change how brain works, resulting in more pain with less provoking stimuli.

Is sensory overload a symptom of fibromyalgia?

Sensory overload is a common problem in fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS.) 1 It’s a symptom that can have a significant effect on your daily life and stop you from doing a lot of the things you enjoy. Sensory overload can make you feel panicky, confused, and overwhelmed.

Does fibromyalgia affect your sense of smell?

Our findings suggest that there is a decrease in the sense of smell both in FM and SSc patients compared with healthy controls. However these impairments differ between patients group and might represent different mechanisms that affect the sense of smell.

How do you fix central sensitization?

Treatments for central sensitization include pharmacological options, exercise therapy, and sleep management, as under the right conditions, central sensitization is manageable and often times reversible.

How do you calm central sensitization?

What are some of the treatment approaches for central sensitization?

  1. Patient education is fundamental to the treatment of central sensitization.
  2. Somatically based psychotherapy is key to learning mindfulness, meditation, body scanning, relaxation techniques, and most importantly, diaphragmatic breathing.

Does central pain syndrome ever go away?

In most cases, central pain syndrome remains a lifelong condition. Central pain syndrome can be limited to a specific area of the body such as the hands or feet or may be widespread over a large portion of the body.