Graphic from: Chronic Pain Research Alliance
Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions (COPCs)
Fibromyalgia is one of ten conditions known as Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions, or COPCs. People with fibromyalgia often live with one or more of these conditions at the same time.
​
Although each is a distinct condition, researchers are studying shared biological mechanisms that may help explain why they frequently occur together.
Why This Matters
Having fibromyalgia doesn't mean that every symptom you experience is caused by fibromyalgia. Recognizing other conditions can help you receive the right evaluation and treatment.
​
Researchers are also learning that COPCs may share some underlying mechanisms, including changes in how the nervous system processes pain.
​
The takeaway: If you develop new or changing symptoms, don't automatically assume they're fibromyalgia. Talk with your healthcare provider about what else may be contributing.
The 10 COPCs
When someone lives with more than one overlapping condition, treating each diagnosis in isolation can miss the bigger picture. Let your healthcare providers know about all of your pain and related conditions, even when they seem unrelated.
Understanding the complete pattern can help your healthcare team coordinate care and develop a treatment plan that considers you as a whole person.
​
We've included the abbreviations commonly used for these conditions in medical research to help you recognize and better understand them when reading scientific studies and health information.
Beyond the Ten: Emerging Areas of Research
Researchers are exploring connections between chronic overlapping pain conditions and other complex illnesses, including Long COVID, persistent symptoms following Lyme disease, and chronic eye pain.
​
These conditions are not currently included among the ten recognized COPCs. However, studies have identified overlapping symptoms and, in some cases, potentially shared pain-processing mechanisms. Understanding these connections may help researchers develop better approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
​
In September 2026, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) brought together researchers, clinicians and people with lived experience for From Mechanisms to Medicine: Rethinking the Discovery-to-Care Continuum in Multi-System Disorders. The two-day workshop explored shared mechanisms across chronic overlapping pain conditions and other complex illnesses, with the goal of translating scientific discoveries into better patient care.
