Post-traumatic fibromyalgia: a case report narrated by the patient

This report describes a case of fibromyalgia developing following a workplace injury, but in which the issues of compensation and work disability were not relevant. A previously healthy 37-year-old woman developed back and groin pain after lifting a heavy box. Over the next months, pain and allodynia gradually spread over her body, and headaches, sleep disturbance, paresthesias, and bowel symptoms developed for the first time. The pain was constant and severe, invading and interfering with every area of daily function. Surprisingly, no previous case reports or definition of post-traumatic fibromyalgia could be found. This case report, narrated by the patient, suggests that there is such an entity as post-traumatic fibromyalgia, and that central nervous system plasticity plays a central role.