What is fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia or FM as it is often referred to as is a disorder classified with the presence of chronic widespread pain, severe fatigue and sleep disturbance. Fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons which are the soft fibrous tissues in the body. It can be a very debilating disorder which affects more women then men, affecting upwards of 3-5% of the population.
There is a very fine line between the diagnoses of Fibromyalgia Syndrome or FMS and that of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or CFS. Many studies believe that they are one in the same where other studies indicate that they are separate disorders with 70% of all patients experiencing CFS along side Fibromyaliga. To meet the criteria for a positive diagnoses of Fibromyalgia a patient must have chronic widespread pain throughout all 4 quadrants of the body for a period of upwards of 3 months.
Diagnoses is generally determined through physical examination and not through routine blood work or other complex testing. There are 18 sites throughout the body that are typically used for a general diagnoses of Fibromyalgia. A physician tests these sites by pressing lightly on the surface of the muscles. For those who turn up positive for a diagnoses of Fibromyalgia this light pressure is often painful especially at specific tender points throughout the body. There are 18 basic tender points used in the clinical diagnoses of Fibromyalgia. Generally if a patient feels pain and tenderness in 11 of 18 points they meet the requirements for an accurate Fibromyalgia diagnoses.
