Fibromyalgia and thyroid disease share many overlapping symptoms. In addition, both conditions are difficult to diagnose. Because of this, it seems clear that fibromyalgia is closely related to thyroid disease, also known as hypothyroidism. This means that if you have fibromyalgia, you may be predisposed to having hypothyroidism.
But despite their link, theories regarding the cause of both conditions are not yet clearly identified. Researchers have suggested several possible causes, such as dysfunction of the hypothalamus, autoimmunity, viral or bacterial infections, and many more.
Who They Affect
Research shows that about 5% of American adults have hypothyroidism, although this figure doesn’t include the millions who are believed to be undiagnosed. On the other hand, the CDC revealed that about 2% of the entire US population is living with fibromyalgia. This is equivalent to about 4 million people.
