Extreme Sensitivity
People with fibromyalgia may become incredibly sensitive to pain in every part of their body. As a result, they may experience pain from even minor contact. For instance, if they injure themselves—say, stubbing their toe—the pain can last much longer than it would ordinarily. Hyperalgesia and allodynia are medical terminologies describing the extreme sensitivity brought on by fibromyalgia.
Extreme sensitivity to pain is referred to as hyperalgesia, whereas allodynia refers to pain that shouldn’t be there in the first place, such as from a very gentle touch. Patients with fibromyalgia may have sensitivity to cigarettes, certain foods, and strong lights. Other fibromyalgia symptoms can also worsen when people are exposed to something they are sensitive to.
Furthermore, fibromyalgia patients may exhibit hypersensitivity to sounds, heat, and other stimuli in addition to painful ones. According to a study published in The Journal of Pain, fibromyalgia augmentation mechanisms may be active in both the brain and spinal cord. The research has found that fibromyalgia is linked to hypersensitivity, heat, and auditory stimuli.
