Home >> Health A-Z >> Fibromyalgia Condition Center >> Journey >> Symptoms and Diagnosis >> Chronic Pain and Fibromyalgia: What's Normal, What's Not

Chronic Pain and Fibromyalgia: What's Normal, What's Not

Everyone experiences pain occasionally—and then there are people with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder whose often debilitating symptoms overlap with other diseases. So where does your pain fit in? This guide will help.

Credit: Getty Images

2 of 9

Headaches

Headaches can be caused by any number of factors, and, rarely, they can be an indicator of a more serious health condition. More often, headaches are temporary and not dangerous, and can be treated with over-the-counter pain medication or by addressing an underlying issue—dehydration or sinus problems, for example.

People with fibromyalgia, however, can suffer from constant tension or migraine headaches. The key word is constant—meaning daily—headaches, combined with other fibromyalgia symptoms: Even having repetitive on-and-off headaches, say 10 a year, could just mean that you suffer from chronic headaches and should consult a neurologist to find effective treatment.

Next: Memory problems