How to Diagnose Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a serious condition that causes pain throughout the body; it is difficult to diagnose. Patients may also experience debilitating fatigue. A person with fibromyalgia often experiences extreme discomfort and finds it challenging to get relief from the pain.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Evaluate your symptoms. Pain is the most obvious symptom of fibromyalgia. Sufferers will feel pain when pressure is applied at 18 specific points of the body including the neck, lower back, back of the head, arms and knees.

2. Consider your risk factors. Age, sex and family history can help you determine whether you are likely to have a fibromyalgia diagnosis. Women have fibromyalgia more often then men. Patients are often middle-aged when they develop fibromyalgia. A family history of the condition should also be considered.

3. Make an appointment with your doctor if your symptoms persist for several weeks or months. The physician needs to rule out any other possible causes of the pain and fatigue.

4. Undergo medical tests to rule out other diagnoses. Your doctor should order blood work and x-rays to see if the pain and fatigue could be caused by another health problem.

5. Let the doctor perform a physical exam. After ruling out other diseases, your doctor will likely apply pressure at the 18 points known to be painful in fibromyalgia. Along with your medical history, this exam will lead him to a fibromyalgia diagnosis.

Tips & Warnings

• If spinal trauma has occurred in the past, then you are more likely to develop fibromyalgia. Infections can also increase your risk factor.
• Until you go for a medical exam, you can use a number of methods to decrease the pain that you are experiencing. Acupuncture, massage and exercise can help relieve fibromyalgia symptoms.

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