10 Most Common Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

#7 Trouble Concentrating

Memory and concentration also seem to be affected by fibromyalgia, though researchers aren’t quite sure whether this is part of the condition’s chronic fatigue and exhaustion syndrome, or whether it has different causes altogether. What is known is that the patient’s short-term memory can be noticeably compromised. Patients have a hard time retaining information, recalling newly learned facts and skills, and tend to find it very difficult to sustain concentration for an extended period of time.

Some patients complain of a pervasive feeling of mental sluggishness or cloudiness. This condition has earned its own nickname: “fibro-fog.” The cognitive impairments associated with fibromyalgia are most likely caused by ongoing sleep loss, but some researchers aren’t sure it can be explained away so easily. There is some evidence to suggest that the condition may actually inhibit the brain’s ability to function normally by interfering with its synaptic pathways.