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Health

Conditions | Fibromyalgia

You have options to find fibromyalgia relief. Learn more about treatment through medication and self-management of muscle aches and pains.

Newly Diagnosed? Learn More About Fibromyalgia

Need to know more about how fibromyalgia will affect you or someone you care for? Learn all the basics here:

     » Introduction to Fibromyalgia
     » The Fibromyalgia Problem
     » Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
     » Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia
     » Fibromyalgia Treatments
     » Fibromyalgia Prognosis

Fibromyalgia Research

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Living Forward

Retire or Re-career? One of Life’s Major Crossroads

If you ask Ken Dychtwald, “Most of the studies that I’ve done show that about half of today’s retirees are bored out of their wits"...

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Diagnosis

by Teresa Kaldis, MD

History
Most persons have a slow (insidious) onset of symptoms. Your symptoms can vary based on emotional and psychological stress, weather, physical activity, mood, and degree of sleep disturbance. Many persons report their symptoms vary day to day and even time of day. Some persons with fibromyalgia even report variations in symptoms over the year or seasons. You may report that change in weather, too much or too little activity, fatigue, stress, and anxiety may aggravate the pain.

Physical examination
On physical exam, there may be multiple tender points at. The exam is characterized by lack of joint or muscle swelling, redness, or warmth. You should also have a normal motor and sensory exam.

Laboratory tests
There is no specific lab test to diagnose fibromyalgia. Most laboratory tests are used to rule out other conditions.

Imaging
There are no specific imaging tests to diagnose fibromyalgia.

Other tests
A sleep study may be ordered to evaluate your sleep pattern. Many Patients with fibromyalgia have very extensive, expensive medical workup only to find out that most of the tests are negative.

American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia (1990)
To make a diagnosis of fibromyalgia a person must meet the following criteria:
1. Widespread aching pain for at least 3 months
2. Must include pain on the right and left sides of the body and above and below the waist.
3. Minimum of 11 of 18 locations that are abnormally tender under mild, firm pressure

Sensitive points with fibromyalgia