2.A reduction in the pain threshold
One of the reasons patients with fibromyalgia experience so much pain is that their pain threshold decreases. In other words, they are more sensitive to pain. This comes from an alteration in their brain chemistry and hypersensitivity of their peripheral nerves. In more advanced diseases, even mild pressure or a simple touch causes significant pain. If the patient has a condition that triggers pain, this reduction in their pain threshold may increase the sensation and cause excruciating pain. Thus, the patients become vigilant about anything that triggers pain, and this psychological predisposition further contributes to lowering their pain threshold.
Stimuli that usually does not cause pain such as cold, heat, or a simple touch becomes painful for these patients. This often makes everybody question the patient about his symptoms, thinking that they are faking or exaggerating their symptoms. But there’s an organic cause, and the disease can be detected after a careful physical exam and a few studies.