Fibromyalgia is a chronic, widespread pain in muscles and soft tissues surrounding the joints throughout the body. The disease is fairly common, affecting approximately 2 to 4 percent of the U.S. population, mostly middle-aged women.
Although its symptoms are similar to other joint diseases, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia is actually a form of soft tissue or muscular rheumatism that causes pain in the muscles and soft tissues.
Although the cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, researchers believe there may be a link with sleep disturbance, psychological stress, or immune, endocrine, or biochemical abnormalities. Fibromyalgia mainly affects the muscles and the points at which the muscles attach to the bone (at the ligaments and tendons).
Pain is the most common and chronic symptom of fibromyalgia. Pain may begin in one area of the body, such as the neck and shoulders, but eventually the entire body may become affected. The pain ranges from mild to severe and may be described as burning, soreness, stiffness, aching, or gnawing pain. Fibromyalgia usually is associated with characteristic tender spots of pain in the muscles. The following are other common symptoms of fibromyalgia. However each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
The symptoms of fibromyalgia may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.
There are no laboratory tests that can confirm a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Instead, diagnosis is usually based on reported symptoms and physical exam findings. The American College of Rheumatology has published diagnostic criteria that help your health care provider make the correct diagnosis. The criteria define fibromyalgia as widespread pain for more than three months and describe 18 tender points on the body. The criteria suggest that to confirm a diagnosis you must have at least 11 tender points on exam.
Specific treatment for fibromyalgia will be determined by your doctor based on:
Although there's no cure for fibromyalgia, the disease can often be successfully managed with proper treatment, as fibromyalgia doesn't cause damage to tissues. Treatment may include:
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