Fibromyalgia syndrome: A role for sexual abuse and other traumatic events?

Although numerous studies and some reviews contend that fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) may be caused by sexual and physical abuse and other forms of psychologically traumatic stress, this article does not support such a conclusion. Many studies have methodologic problems that preclude conclusions about the relationship between traumatic stress and FMS onset. Further, existing data suggest that a better explanation of the association between FMS and traumatic stress is that individuals with FMS have a dysregulated physiologic stress response system that may predate the onset of symptoms. Thus, individuals characterized by biologic "stress vulnerability," are at increased risk not only for FMS, but for posttraumatic stress disorder and possibly other psychiatric disorders associated with life stress as well.