Hi Jackie, I don't know what causes it but my whole family had it. Too much stress will bring it on and prolong it. Mother, brother, and sister were first diagnosed with Rheumatoid. It wasn't. We all went to different doctors so it wasn't a case of just one doctor telling us if was Fibromyalgia. It does cause ridges in the muscles after so many years. When it first started, I remember aching all over like I was coming down with the flu. Your arms ache when you try to hold something for a period of time or hang up clothes on hangers or outdoors on the line. Your muscles are sore and hurt like you over excised. Biggest problem is lack of sleep. You may sleep one hour and be up one-half hour, sleep for two hours and be up three; in other words, you're up and down all night. This is after you had it a while. Many doctors still do not recognize and admit there is such a thing. I took Alive for several years before it came on the market. Aspirin didn't help because it just lay in my stomach and burned as does some other medicines. Doctor now has me on Vox and I have to take an antidepressant. I could tell the difference immediately in sleep pattern when I was put on 25 mg. of impramine. Motrin didn't do I thing for me. I guess everyone is different and you have to try different things but I refuse certain ones because they can be worse than the decease on your body. Sorry other cousins for the book but it's important to let people know they're not crazy or imagining things when they have this stuff. You can live with it but have to keep moving. Norma