'My Whole Body Aches and Hurts': Suffering from Unexplained Pain and Fibromyalgia?

Just as Donguibogam explained that the spleen and stomach govern the nutrient supply to muscles, modern medicine locates the causes of generalized myalgia and fatigue in complex imbalances of the nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system. In conditions such as fibromyalgia in particular, 'central nervous system sensitization'—which arises from a disruption in how the brain and spinal cord process pain, rather than simple muscular inflammation or tissue damage—is identified as the primary cause. It is as if the body's 'pain volume knob' has been dialed up to the maximum, causing severe pain even from minor stimuli. Multiple factors interact in this phenomenon. First, imbalances in neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine impair pain-modulating functions. Dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which regulates the stress response, also leads to chronic fatigue and pain. When this axis becomes overactive or, conversely, depleted, the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol becomes erratic, leaving the body continuously tense or lacking energy. 😫 Furthermore, many people with fibromyalgia experience very poor sleep quality. The 'alpha-delta sleep anomaly', where deep sleep is disrupted by continuous shallow brainwaves, hinders muscle recovery and makes the brain react even more sensitively to pain. Mitochondrial dysfunction that reduces cellular energy production, imbalances in the gut-brain axis stemming from gut issues, and low-grade neuroinflammation are also cited as contributing factors. As all these elements interact, what Donguibogam described as a 'qi and blood circulation disorder' and an 'imbalance of the zang-fu organs' appears in modern medicine as complex disturbances across neurotransmitters, hormones, and the immune system. Listening to your body's signals and working to regain balance is truly important. 🙏