Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsGenetic ResearchFamilial PatternsGenetic SusceptibilityAssociated GenesOther FactorsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Genetic Research
Familial Patterns
Genetic Susceptibility
Associated Genes
Other Factors
Frequently Asked Questions
The question “isfibromyalgiahereditary” comes up a lot because of how common it is for this pain condition to run in families.If you have fibromyalgia, you may worry about passing it on to your children, or you may wonder if you’ll have it because your mother or several other family members do.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that featuresabnormal types of pain, extreme fatigue,disturbed sleep,cognitive dysfunction (“fibro fog”), and dozens ofother possible symptoms.
For the past few decades, researchers have delved into familial patterns to learn whether fibromyalgia is hereditary and, if so, what genes may be involved.The current belief is that:
Ariel Skelley/Getty Images
Why Genetic Research Matters
Genetic research could have profound effects on the future of fibromyalgia. It could lead to:
These things are all desperately needed, as currently fibromyalgia isdifficult to diagnoseandexisting treatmentsare inadequate for more than half of the people with this condition. And while healthcare providers can estimate your risk based on family history, right now they don’t know how to prevent fibromyalgia from developing.
If you have close relative (parent, sibling, child) with fibromyalgia, you’re 8.5 times more likely to get it than if you have a close relative with rheumatoid arthritis.Given its tendency to show up in multiple family members, it’s logical for researchers to dig into the genetics of fibromyalgia.
According to a 2017 review of scientific literature on fibromyalgia, credible evidence exists to support the theory that genetics do play a causal role.
In one study, 52% of parents and siblings of someone with fibromyalgia had some clinical evidence of the condition, even though none had previously been diagnosed with it.
Another 22% who had no apparent symptoms had abnormal muscle consistency similar to that found in people with fibromyalgia. That means almost three-quarters of the relatives had physical signs of susceptibility or early symptoms.
In a study of children whose mothers had fibromyalgia, researchers found that 28% of the offspring had fibromyalgia themselves. By comparing siblings, they determined that it appeared to be genetics, and not environmental exposures or psychological factors, that led to the high occurrence rate in the kids.
Evidence suggests the pattern of inheritance in fibromyalgia is autosomal-dominant, meaning you only need one parent to pass along the relevant genes for you to be susceptible. (In autosomal-recessive inheritance, you need a copy of the relevant genes from both parents, which is much rarer.)
Because other fibromyalgia causal factors may include environmental exposures, one study looked at blood relatives versus non-blood relatives, such as spouses:
While that’s still considerably higher than the overall population rate, it suggests that genetics may exert a stronger influence on fibromyalgia’s development than environmental factors do. Additionally, pain sensitivities of blood relatives were significantly higher than those of people in the control groups.
In a study on siblings of people with fibromyalgia, the risk of developing it was found to be just over 27%.Other studies suggest personality traits that are common in people with fibromyalgia also have a genetic component and are part of the predisposition.
While you may have inherited a genetic susceptibility to fibromyalgia, that doesn’t mean you’ll end up with it. A genetic susceptibility isn’t the same as a hereditary disease. In true genetic diseases, inheriting the gene(s) means you have or will develop the disease.
In fibromyalgia and many other conditions with a genetic predisposition, you can inherit genes that make it likely for you to develop the conditionunder certain conditions. If those conditions are never met, you’ll probably never have fibromyalgia.
Some research suggests that about 50% of your susceptibility to fibromyalgia comes from genetic factors.
What Genetic Predisposition Means for You
More recently, research has shifted more towardgenome-wide association studies (GWAS)and microRNAs.
So far, some GWAS have found mutations in genes that deal with:
A 2020 study found abnormalities in more than 220 microRNAs and in the expression of nearly 150 genes. Many of the abnormalities were linked to musculoskeletal disease, immune-system disease, and mental disorders.
Multiple related conditions are believed to involve this same dysregulation, includingmigraine,irritable bowel syndrome, andpost-traumatic stress disorder. These conditions and several others fall under the umbrella term“central sensitivity syndromes” (CSS).
Based on genetic findings, some researchers in 2015 proposed a change in the way the medical community approaches fibromyalgia research, from a single condition to a disease continuum with multiple genetic makeups.
That change has led to a shift away from identifying each specific genetic change related to fibromyalgia to looking across the CSS spectrum. That means looking at the genetics of multiple conditions for valuable clues about the genetics of fibromyalgia and its related conditions.
Other Triggering Factors
Fibromyalgia is believed to have several possible triggering factors that, when combined with a genetic susceptibility, can cause it to develop. These include:
You don’t have to have all of these factors in order to wind up with fibromyalgia, but it’s believed that most people have at least one of these causal factors on top of genetic susceptibility.
Causes and Mechanisms of Fibromyalgia
A Word From Verywell
If you’re worried about passing fibromyalgia on to your children, again, take it up with their healthcare provider to see if they have any advice for you. The good news is that researchers are learning new information all the time, and you and your family members with fibromyalgia—or just a genetic susceptibility—can benefit from that.
Frequently Asked QuestionsThe early signs of fibromyalgia can vary, but the primary ones are pain, fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, and cognitive dysfunction. These may come on gradually over a long period of time or suddenly after an illness, physical trauma, or period of emotional stress.No one is sure, but it appears to be a combination of genetics and other factors. That can include psychological stress, physical trauma, illness, and obesity.Hormonal shifts and gynecologic surgery are also factors.Learn MoreFibromyalgia Tied to Gynecologic SurgeryYou’re most likely to develop fibromyalgia if you:Are biologically femaleAre menopausal, nearing menopause, or have had a hysterectomyHave lupus or rheumatoid arthritisHave a family history of fibromyalgiaHave repetitive injuries or physical traumaAre obeseSo far, no, there isn’t a genetic test for your fibromyalgia susceptibility. However, as researchers learn more about the specific genetic abnormalities involved, we may get one.A genetic test can be performed to gauge how you’ll respond to fibromyalgia drugs.
The early signs of fibromyalgia can vary, but the primary ones are pain, fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, and cognitive dysfunction. These may come on gradually over a long period of time or suddenly after an illness, physical trauma, or period of emotional stress.
No one is sure, but it appears to be a combination of genetics and other factors. That can include psychological stress, physical trauma, illness, and obesity.Hormonal shifts and gynecologic surgery are also factors.Learn MoreFibromyalgia Tied to Gynecologic Surgery
No one is sure, but it appears to be a combination of genetics and other factors. That can include psychological stress, physical trauma, illness, and obesity.Hormonal shifts and gynecologic surgery are also factors.
Learn MoreFibromyalgia Tied to Gynecologic Surgery
You’re most likely to develop fibromyalgia if you:Are biologically femaleAre menopausal, nearing menopause, or have had a hysterectomyHave lupus or rheumatoid arthritisHave a family history of fibromyalgiaHave repetitive injuries or physical traumaAre obese
You’re most likely to develop fibromyalgia if you:
So far, no, there isn’t a genetic test for your fibromyalgia susceptibility. However, as researchers learn more about the specific genetic abnormalities involved, we may get one.A genetic test can be performed to gauge how you’ll respond to fibromyalgia drugs.
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ablin JN, Buskila D.Update on the genetics of the fibromyalgia syndrome.Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2015;29(1):20-28. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2015.04.018Chinn S, Caldwell W, Gritsenko K.Fibromyalgia pathogenesis and treatment options update.Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2016;20(4):25. doi:10.1007/s11916-016-0556-xKaltsas G, Tsiveriotis K.Fibromyalgia. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., eds. Endotext. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.Park DJ, Lee SS.New insights into the genetics of fibromyalgia.Korean J Intern Med. 2017;32(6):984-995. doi:10.3904/kjim.2016.207Arnold LM, Fan J, Russell IJ, et al.The fibromyalgia family study: a genome-wide linkage scan study.Arthritis Rheum. 2013;65(4):1122-1128. doi:10.1002/art.37842Glazer Y, Buskila D, Cohen H, Ebstein RP, Neumann L.Differences in the personality profile of fibromyalgia patients and their relatives with and without fibromyalgia.Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2010;28(6 Suppl 63):S27-S32.D’Agnelli S, Arendt-Nielsen L, Gerra MC, et al.Fibromyalgia: Genetics and epigenetics insights may provide the basis for the development of diagnostic biomarkers.Mol Pain. 2019;15:1744806918819944. doi:10.1177/1744806918819944Docampo E, Escaramís G, Gratacòs M, et al.Genome-wide analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms and copy number variants in fibromyalgia suggest a role for the central nervous system.Pain. 2014;155(6):1102-1109. doi:10.1016/j.pain.2014.02.016Peters MJ, Broer L, Willemen HL, et al.Genome-wide association study meta-analysis of chronic widespread pain: evidence for involvement of the 5p15.2 region.Ann Rheum Dis. 2013;72(3):427-436. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-201742Qiu Y, Zhang TJ, Meng LB, Cheng XT, Hua Z.Bioinformatics analysis of gene and microRNA targets for fibromyalgia.Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2021;39(1):21-31. doi:10.55563/clinexprheumatol/iitbcpRusso EB.Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency reconsidered: Current research supports the theory in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel, and other treatment-resistant syndromes.Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2016;1(1):154-165. doi:10.1089/can.2016.0009Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.D’Aoust RF, Rossiter AG, Elliott A, Ji M, Lengacher C, Groer M.Women veterans, a population at risk for fibromyalgia: The associations between fibromyalgia, symptoms, and quality of life.Mil Med.2017;182(7):e1828-e1835. doi:10.7205/MILMED-D-15-00557Kleinman L, Mannix S, Arnold LM, et al.Assessment of sleep in patients with fibromyalgia: qualitative development of the fibromyalgia sleep diary.Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2014;12:111. doi:10.1186/s12955-014-0111-6Lee Y, Bingham C, Edwards R et al.Association between pain sensitization and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A cross‐sectional study.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018;70(2):197-204. doi:10.1002/acr.23266NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing fibromyalgia.Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Fibromyalgia.Ozcivit IB, Erel CT, Durmusoglu F.Can fibromyalgia be considered a characteristic symptom of climacterium?.Postgrad Med J. 2023;99(1170):244-251. doi:10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-140336Brooks L, Hadi J, Amber KT, Weiner M, La Riche CL, Ference T.Assessing the prevalence of autoimmune, endocrine, gynecologic, and psychiatric comorbidities in an ethnically diverse cohort of female fibromyalgia patients: does the time from hysterectomy provide a clue?.J Pain Res. 2015;8:561-569. doi:10.2147/JPR.S86573
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ablin JN, Buskila D.Update on the genetics of the fibromyalgia syndrome.Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2015;29(1):20-28. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2015.04.018Chinn S, Caldwell W, Gritsenko K.Fibromyalgia pathogenesis and treatment options update.Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2016;20(4):25. doi:10.1007/s11916-016-0556-xKaltsas G, Tsiveriotis K.Fibromyalgia. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., eds. Endotext. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.Park DJ, Lee SS.New insights into the genetics of fibromyalgia.Korean J Intern Med. 2017;32(6):984-995. doi:10.3904/kjim.2016.207Arnold LM, Fan J, Russell IJ, et al.The fibromyalgia family study: a genome-wide linkage scan study.Arthritis Rheum. 2013;65(4):1122-1128. doi:10.1002/art.37842Glazer Y, Buskila D, Cohen H, Ebstein RP, Neumann L.Differences in the personality profile of fibromyalgia patients and their relatives with and without fibromyalgia.Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2010;28(6 Suppl 63):S27-S32.D’Agnelli S, Arendt-Nielsen L, Gerra MC, et al.Fibromyalgia: Genetics and epigenetics insights may provide the basis for the development of diagnostic biomarkers.Mol Pain. 2019;15:1744806918819944. doi:10.1177/1744806918819944Docampo E, Escaramís G, Gratacòs M, et al.Genome-wide analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms and copy number variants in fibromyalgia suggest a role for the central nervous system.Pain. 2014;155(6):1102-1109. doi:10.1016/j.pain.2014.02.016Peters MJ, Broer L, Willemen HL, et al.Genome-wide association study meta-analysis of chronic widespread pain: evidence for involvement of the 5p15.2 region.Ann Rheum Dis. 2013;72(3):427-436. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-201742Qiu Y, Zhang TJ, Meng LB, Cheng XT, Hua Z.Bioinformatics analysis of gene and microRNA targets for fibromyalgia.Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2021;39(1):21-31. doi:10.55563/clinexprheumatol/iitbcpRusso EB.Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency reconsidered: Current research supports the theory in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel, and other treatment-resistant syndromes.Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2016;1(1):154-165. doi:10.1089/can.2016.0009Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.D’Aoust RF, Rossiter AG, Elliott A, Ji M, Lengacher C, Groer M.Women veterans, a population at risk for fibromyalgia: The associations between fibromyalgia, symptoms, and quality of life.Mil Med.2017;182(7):e1828-e1835. doi:10.7205/MILMED-D-15-00557Kleinman L, Mannix S, Arnold LM, et al.Assessment of sleep in patients with fibromyalgia: qualitative development of the fibromyalgia sleep diary.Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2014;12:111. doi:10.1186/s12955-014-0111-6Lee Y, Bingham C, Edwards R et al.Association between pain sensitization and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A cross‐sectional study.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018;70(2):197-204. doi:10.1002/acr.23266NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing fibromyalgia.Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Fibromyalgia.Ozcivit IB, Erel CT, Durmusoglu F.Can fibromyalgia be considered a characteristic symptom of climacterium?.Postgrad Med J. 2023;99(1170):244-251. doi:10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-140336Brooks L, Hadi J, Amber KT, Weiner M, La Riche CL, Ference T.Assessing the prevalence of autoimmune, endocrine, gynecologic, and psychiatric comorbidities in an ethnically diverse cohort of female fibromyalgia patients: does the time from hysterectomy provide a clue?.J Pain Res. 2015;8:561-569. doi:10.2147/JPR.S86573
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Ablin JN, Buskila D.Update on the genetics of the fibromyalgia syndrome.Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2015;29(1):20-28. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2015.04.018Chinn S, Caldwell W, Gritsenko K.Fibromyalgia pathogenesis and treatment options update.Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2016;20(4):25. doi:10.1007/s11916-016-0556-xKaltsas G, Tsiveriotis K.Fibromyalgia. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., eds. Endotext. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.Park DJ, Lee SS.New insights into the genetics of fibromyalgia.Korean J Intern Med. 2017;32(6):984-995. doi:10.3904/kjim.2016.207Arnold LM, Fan J, Russell IJ, et al.The fibromyalgia family study: a genome-wide linkage scan study.Arthritis Rheum. 2013;65(4):1122-1128. doi:10.1002/art.37842Glazer Y, Buskila D, Cohen H, Ebstein RP, Neumann L.Differences in the personality profile of fibromyalgia patients and their relatives with and without fibromyalgia.Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2010;28(6 Suppl 63):S27-S32.D’Agnelli S, Arendt-Nielsen L, Gerra MC, et al.Fibromyalgia: Genetics and epigenetics insights may provide the basis for the development of diagnostic biomarkers.Mol Pain. 2019;15:1744806918819944. doi:10.1177/1744806918819944Docampo E, Escaramís G, Gratacòs M, et al.Genome-wide analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms and copy number variants in fibromyalgia suggest a role for the central nervous system.Pain. 2014;155(6):1102-1109. doi:10.1016/j.pain.2014.02.016Peters MJ, Broer L, Willemen HL, et al.Genome-wide association study meta-analysis of chronic widespread pain: evidence for involvement of the 5p15.2 region.Ann Rheum Dis. 2013;72(3):427-436. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-201742Qiu Y, Zhang TJ, Meng LB, Cheng XT, Hua Z.Bioinformatics analysis of gene and microRNA targets for fibromyalgia.Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2021;39(1):21-31. doi:10.55563/clinexprheumatol/iitbcpRusso EB.Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency reconsidered: Current research supports the theory in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel, and other treatment-resistant syndromes.Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2016;1(1):154-165. doi:10.1089/can.2016.0009Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.D’Aoust RF, Rossiter AG, Elliott A, Ji M, Lengacher C, Groer M.Women veterans, a population at risk for fibromyalgia: The associations between fibromyalgia, symptoms, and quality of life.Mil Med.2017;182(7):e1828-e1835. doi:10.7205/MILMED-D-15-00557Kleinman L, Mannix S, Arnold LM, et al.Assessment of sleep in patients with fibromyalgia: qualitative development of the fibromyalgia sleep diary.Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2014;12:111. doi:10.1186/s12955-014-0111-6Lee Y, Bingham C, Edwards R et al.Association between pain sensitization and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A cross‐sectional study.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018;70(2):197-204. doi:10.1002/acr.23266NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing fibromyalgia.Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Fibromyalgia.Ozcivit IB, Erel CT, Durmusoglu F.Can fibromyalgia be considered a characteristic symptom of climacterium?.Postgrad Med J. 2023;99(1170):244-251. doi:10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-140336Brooks L, Hadi J, Amber KT, Weiner M, La Riche CL, Ference T.Assessing the prevalence of autoimmune, endocrine, gynecologic, and psychiatric comorbidities in an ethnically diverse cohort of female fibromyalgia patients: does the time from hysterectomy provide a clue?.J Pain Res. 2015;8:561-569. doi:10.2147/JPR.S86573
Ablin JN, Buskila D.Update on the genetics of the fibromyalgia syndrome.Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2015;29(1):20-28. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2015.04.018
Chinn S, Caldwell W, Gritsenko K.Fibromyalgia pathogenesis and treatment options update.Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2016;20(4):25. doi:10.1007/s11916-016-0556-x
Kaltsas G, Tsiveriotis K.Fibromyalgia. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., eds. Endotext. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.
Park DJ, Lee SS.New insights into the genetics of fibromyalgia.Korean J Intern Med. 2017;32(6):984-995. doi:10.3904/kjim.2016.207
Arnold LM, Fan J, Russell IJ, et al.The fibromyalgia family study: a genome-wide linkage scan study.Arthritis Rheum. 2013;65(4):1122-1128. doi:10.1002/art.37842
Glazer Y, Buskila D, Cohen H, Ebstein RP, Neumann L.Differences in the personality profile of fibromyalgia patients and their relatives with and without fibromyalgia.Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2010;28(6 Suppl 63):S27-S32.
D’Agnelli S, Arendt-Nielsen L, Gerra MC, et al.Fibromyalgia: Genetics and epigenetics insights may provide the basis for the development of diagnostic biomarkers.Mol Pain. 2019;15:1744806918819944. doi:10.1177/1744806918819944
Docampo E, Escaramís G, Gratacòs M, et al.Genome-wide analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms and copy number variants in fibromyalgia suggest a role for the central nervous system.Pain. 2014;155(6):1102-1109. doi:10.1016/j.pain.2014.02.016
Peters MJ, Broer L, Willemen HL, et al.Genome-wide association study meta-analysis of chronic widespread pain: evidence for involvement of the 5p15.2 region.Ann Rheum Dis. 2013;72(3):427-436. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-201742
Qiu Y, Zhang TJ, Meng LB, Cheng XT, Hua Z.Bioinformatics analysis of gene and microRNA targets for fibromyalgia.Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2021;39(1):21-31. doi:10.55563/clinexprheumatol/iitbcp
Russo EB.Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency reconsidered: Current research supports the theory in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel, and other treatment-resistant syndromes.Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2016;1(1):154-165. doi:10.1089/can.2016.0009
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fibromyalgia.
D’Aoust RF, Rossiter AG, Elliott A, Ji M, Lengacher C, Groer M.Women veterans, a population at risk for fibromyalgia: The associations between fibromyalgia, symptoms, and quality of life.Mil Med.2017;182(7):e1828-e1835. doi:10.7205/MILMED-D-15-00557
Kleinman L, Mannix S, Arnold LM, et al.Assessment of sleep in patients with fibromyalgia: qualitative development of the fibromyalgia sleep diary.Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2014;12:111. doi:10.1186/s12955-014-0111-6
Lee Y, Bingham C, Edwards R et al.Association between pain sensitization and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A cross‐sectional study.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018;70(2):197-204. doi:10.1002/acr.23266
NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing fibromyalgia.
Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health.Fibromyalgia.
Ozcivit IB, Erel CT, Durmusoglu F.Can fibromyalgia be considered a characteristic symptom of climacterium?.Postgrad Med J. 2023;99(1170):244-251. doi:10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-140336
Brooks L, Hadi J, Amber KT, Weiner M, La Riche CL, Ference T.Assessing the prevalence of autoimmune, endocrine, gynecologic, and psychiatric comorbidities in an ethnically diverse cohort of female fibromyalgia patients: does the time from hysterectomy provide a clue?.J Pain Res. 2015;8:561-569. doi:10.2147/JPR.S86573
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