Diagnosing Fibromyalgia
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Some diseases are easily diagnosed with a simple blood test. Hypothyroidism is an example of an easily diagnosed disease. Doctors often order lab tests on female patients who complain of fatigue to determine if the patient has the thyroid disease hypothyroidism. But there is no laboratory test and no easy diagnosis for the syndrome of fibromyalgia.
Medical conditions, diseases and syndromes, are defined by medical experts. In 1990, the American College of Rheumatology established diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia and this has been accepted by the National Institutes of Health. Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome considered to be related to arthritis. It is most common in women. Men can and do get it. The causes of fibromyalgia are unknown. Usually patients visit several doctors over a period of years before finding a doctor that is familiar with the proper diagnosis procedures.
Widespread diffuse body pain is the number one symptom of the person suffering from fibromyalgia. It may be described as aching pain. The duration of the pain for three months or more is an important determining factor in diagnosing fibromyalgia. A doctor might order a lab test to check for vitamin D deficiency because this deficiency causes aches and pains and the doctor would want to rule that out.
Fatigue is a predominant symptom of fibromyalgia. Fatigue can be a symptom of other diseases such as hypothyroidism or liver disease. This overlapping of symptoms with other conditions is what frustrates doctors and patients. Doctors should order lab tests to rule out other possible conditions. Equally important is obtaining a good patient history.
Poor sleep and morning stiffness top of the list of significant fibromyalgia symptoms. Additionally, a patient might suffer from headaches, memory problems, sometimes called ‘brain fog’, anxiety, and irritable bowel syndrome, restless leg syndrome, weakness, painful menstrual periods and hypersensitivity to temperature.
Proper diagnosis of fibromyalgia will include an accurate examination based on the American College of Rheumatology criteria. First, there must be a three month history of pain in all four quadrants of the body (both sides of the body plus above and below the waist). Second, the examination of 18 pairs of tender points of the body by digital palpitation (pushing on them with fingers) with light pressure. Tender points are small areas in a muscle that ache. If 11 out of the 18 tender point sites hurt with pressure the diagnosis of fibromyalgia is confirmed.
There is no cure for fibromyalgia—only treatment of the symptoms. Current information on fibromyalgia is available from the National Institutes of Health where research is being ongoing. Helpful information is also available at the National Fibromyalgia Association website, www.fmaware.org.
