The key difference between fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is that fibromyalgia is a genetic disorder characterized by musculoskeletal pain together with fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues, while Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by issues in the connective tissues, primarily in the skin, joints, and blood vessel walls.
Fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome are two associated medical disorders. This is because people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorder also suffer from fibromyalgia. Moreover, both these medical conditions have a genetic influence. However, there are effective treatment options for treating both these diseases.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Fibromyalgia
3. What is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
4. Similarities – Fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
5. Fibromyalgia vs Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Fibromyalgia vs Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a genetic disorder characterized by musculoskeletal pain, together with fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. Women are more likely to be affected by this condition. People with fibromyalgia also experience tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and depression. Fibromyalgia can be caused by genetics (runs in families), infections, and physical and emotional events (accidents and psychological stress).
Figure 01: Tender Points in Fibromyalgia
The symptoms of fibromyalgia include widespread pain, fatigue, cognitive difficulties (“fibro fog” which impairs the ability to focus), interstitial cystitis, tachycardia, migraine, anxiety, and depression. Moreover, the risk factors of fibromyalgia are sex (women more affected than men), family history, and other disorders (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus). The complications involved in this condition are severe depression and health-related anxiety.
Fibromyalgia is diagnosed through family history, physical examination, blood tests, and genetic testing. Furthermore, treatment options for fibromyalgia include medications (pain relievers like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen), antidepressants (duloxetine and milnacipran), and antiseizure drugs (gabapentin and pregabalin), physical therapy, occupational therapy, counselling, lifestyle and home remedies (stress management, sleep hygiene, exercise regularly, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle).
What is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is an inherited genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue, primarily in the skin, joints, and blood vessels. The symptoms of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome may include overly flexible joints, stretchy skin, fragile skin, distinctive facial features of a thin nose, thin upper lip, very small earlobes, prominent eyes, and rupture of the walls of the blood vessels, intestine, and uterus. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is caused by different inherited gene mutations. Moreover, risk factors for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome are a family history of inherited gene mutation and sex (women are affected more than men). The complications in this condition include joint dissociation, prominent scarring, and rupture of major organs.
Figure 02: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome can be diagnosed through family history, physical examination, and genetic testing. Furthermore, treatment options for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome include pain relievers (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen), blood pressure medications, physical therapy, surgical and other procedures, lifestyle and home remedies (choosing sport wisely, resting the jaw, wearing supportive shoes, and improving quality sleep).
What are the Similarities Between Fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?
- Fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome are two associated medical disorders.
- People with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorder also have fibromyalgia.
- Both disorders are inherited genetic conditions.
- Women are mainly affected by both disorders.
- Both disorders may have similar symptoms like widespread pain in the body
- Both disorders can be diagnosed through family history, physical examination, and genetic testing.
- They are treated through medications, therapies and lifestyle, and home remedies.
What is the Difference Between Fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?
Fibromyalgia is a genetic disorder characterized by musculoskeletal pain together with fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues, while Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by issues in the connective tissues, primarily in the skin, joints, and blood vessel walls. Thus, this is the key difference between fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Furthermore, fibromyalgia is caused by genetics (runs in families), infections, and physical and emotional events (accidents and psychological stress), while Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is caused by different inherited gene mutations.
The below infographic presents the differences between fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Fibromyalgia vs Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome are two associated medical disorders. They are also inherited from the family background. Fibromyalgia is characterized by musculoskeletal pain, together with fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is characterized by issues in the connective tissues, primarily in the skin, joints, and blood vessel walls. So, this is the key difference between fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Reference:
1. “Fibromyalgia.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
2. “Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.” NHS Choices, NHS.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Tender points fibromyalgia” By Sav vas, Jmarchn – Own work, based on: File:Tender_points_fibromyalgia.gif and File: Woman surface diagram ahead-behind.svg (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Hyperelastic skin & hypermobile finger in a case of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome” By Whitaker JK, Alexander P, Chau DY, Tint NL –Openi.nlm.nih.gov (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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