Is Fibromyalgia Real? Fibromyalgia is a very real medical condition that affects around four million Americans, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As such, fibromyalgia cannot be defined by its cause but rather by symptoms for which there are no other explanations. The pain is very real, but triggered by the brain incorrectly sensing danger in the vexations and vicissitudes of everyday life. To: DoodleBobIn my experience and research, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) are real.