The Top 5 Underlying Causes Of Fibromyalgia

1. Gut dysfunction

The majority of your immune system resides within your complex and sophisticated gastrointestinal system. The trillions of bacteria that live in your gut comprise a delicate and changeable environment called the microbiome. When this system is thrown off balance – when beneficial bacteria lose out to more pathogenic bacteria – the cascade effects to your entire system can be extreme and may lead to (or just worsen) fibromyalgia symptoms. Many people struggling with fibromyalgia have undetected gut issues such as:

• Chronic yeast or fungal infections, like candida overgrowth
• Bacterial infections or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
• Food intolerances
• Gut hyperpermeability (leaky gut syndrome)

Many of my fibromyalgia patients have at least one of these gut conditions and addressing these issues directly can help people begin to feel like themselves again.

2. Toxic overload

We’re all inundated with toxins every day – food additives, industrial chemicals, and environmental pollution, even the cleaning and beauty products we willingly expose ourselves to in our own homes. This constant toxic exposure can take a toll on health. Human bodies are resilient and can handle a certain level of the toxic onslaught, but some people are more sensitive to toxins than others and may begin to experience dysfunction sooner rather than later.

That is why toxicity is another potential tipping point. My fibromyalgia patients often have labs that show heavy metals such as mercury and lead or mycotoxins from mold. I also look at detoxification pathways, because even a “normal” toxic exposure can become problematic if the body is sluggish in its attempts to detoxify the system impaired detoxification pathways can be caused by genetic mutations that are quite common, and which make detoxification extra difficult and slow. In turn, toxic buildup can trigger fibromyalgia symptoms.

3. Hormone imbalance

Your endocrine system is a complex and intelligent system of glands and organs that release and use hormones. When this system stops working optimally (many external and internal factors can cause this to happen), hormonal deficiencies or dysregulation may cause fibromyalgia symptoms. Some specific examples include adrenal fatigue, thyroid disorders, (1) DHEA levels, and estrogen and testosterone imbalances. Addressing the hormonal imbalance may go a long way in relieving fibromyalgia symptoms.

4. Nutrient deficiencies

Your body works on nutrients you take in from food, and if you aren’t getting enough of what you need, multiple systems in your body could begin to malfunction. That’s why knowing your body’s nutrient levels is essential to understanding potential causes of fibromyalgia. In particular, deficiencies in magnesium, vitamin D, (2) selenium, and glutathione (3) may all contribute to the development of fibromyalgia.

5. Nervous system problems

Who knew whiplash or bad posture could contribute to fibromyalgia? Since your nervous system supplies energy to all other systems of your body and your neck is sometimes referred to as “the arc of life,” neck injuries or chronic bad posture can actually contribute to chronic inflammation, adding stress to all your body’s systems.

As you can see, no one “magic pill” could possibly resolve a condition with so many potential causes and such a wide array of symptoms. That’s why the best solution to address fibromyalgia is a comprehensive health program that considers all these issues.

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe. 

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