Excess stress, whether emotional or physical, can absolutely trigger fibromyalgia. But I wouldn't say it's a cause and effect thing, it's not like anyone who undergoes a certain type/length of stress gets it, it's more likely that it's a trigger for predisposed people. We don't really understand fibromyalgia or what causes it, although there are a lot of theories out there, no one agrees on one.
As for inflammation, it's an oft-repeated statement that "fibromyalgia does not cause inflammation", but how accurate is that really? A lot of people with fibro don't even get tested for markers of inflammation. In addition, I have read scientific studies saying that people with fibro DO have inflammation:
"The higher levels of cytokines found in FM patients suggest the presence of an inflammatory response system (IRS) and highlight a parallel between the clinical symptoms and biochemical data. They support the hypothesis that cytokines may play a role in the clinical features of fibromyalgia." http://www.clinexprheumatol.org/article.asp?a=3055
"Fibromyalgia skin biopsies had significantly higher values of IgG deposits in the dermis and vessel walls and showed a higher reactivity for collagen III. They also had a higher mean number of mast cells. There was a correlation between the percentage of damaged/degranulated mast cells and the individual IgG immunofluorescence scores. These findings support the hypothesis of neurogenic inflammation involvement in fibromyalgia." http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/03009749709105321?journalCode=rhe
"We report elevated cerebrospinal fluid and serum concentrations of interleukin-8 (a pro-inflammatory substance) in fibromyalgia patients." http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165572811002992
I can post lots more if anyone is interested. I think actual studies are better sources than quotes from people who simply sound like they know what they're talking about
:)
Post Edited (Pelagicdancer) : 4/28/2013 10:16:26 AM (GMT-6)