Who Can Diagnose Fibromyalgia. A family practice physician, internist, or rheumatologist can diagnose fibromyalgia. In some cases, the patient is referred to a rheumatologist for a diagnosis after being examined by a family practice physician or internist.
Diagnosing fibromyalgia can be difficult as there's no specific test to diagnose the condition. The symptoms of fibromyalgia can also vary from person to person and are similar to those of several other conditions. The GP will ask you how your symptoms are affecting your daily life.
It is important that you find a GP who can diagnose your fibromyalgia early because early diagnosis and treatment are critical to reducing the impact of the disease. Your GP can help you coordinate your overall health care, including making referrals to specialists if needed.
There are no blood tests, x-rays or scans that can test for fibromyalgia. Your doctor or rheumatologist (arthritis specialist) will look for a number of features that are typical of fibromyalgia to diagnose the condition.
Newer guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology don't require a tender point exam. Instead, the main factor needed for a fibromyalgia diagnosis is widespread pain throughout your body for at least three months.
Fibromyalgia is diagnosed based primarily on having pain all over the body, along with other symptoms. Currently, there are no specific laboratory or imaging tests for fibromyalgia.
Several rheumatic diseases can mimic fibromyalgia. These include sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Lyme disease, polymyalgia rheumatica and lupus. They have symptoms of widespread pain along with joint involvement. Most rheumatic diseases are treated with medication and physical therapy.
It should be considered when a patient describes chronic musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and poor sleep. These symptoms are usually accompanied by a number of other problems such as depression or anxiety, sensitivity to chemicals, irritable bowel or restless legs.
Rheumatologists are internists who specialize in treating arthritis and diseases of the joints, muscles, and soft tissues. Rheumatologists, arguably more than any other physician, closely follow fibromyalgia developments and will likely have the best knowledge base on the condition.
The FM/a ® Test analyzes your immune system's white blood cells for their chemokine and cytokine protein patterns. Those who suffer from fibromyalgia will show an abnormal pattern of these protective proteins.
In people with fibromyalgia blood tests fail to show any serious abnormalities. CT and MRI scans looking for abnormalities affecting the brain, spinal cord or nerves are normal or inconsistent with the persons symptoms.
0 – No problem. 1 – A slight or mild problem (generally mild or intermittent) 2 – A moderate or considerable problem (often present and/or at a moderate level) 3 – A severe, continuous, life-disturbing problem.
There's no specific fibromyalgia test. But your GP may do some blood tests to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms to fibromyalgia. Sometimes, your GP may refer you to a specialist for further tests or treatment.
Fibromyalgia is often triggered by an event that causes physical stress or emotional (psychological) stress. Possible triggers include: a serious injury, such as after a car accident. an infection, such as Epstein-Barr virus or Lyme disease.
Other health conditions that cause similar symptoms must be ruled out before a fibromyalgia diagnosis can be made. Medical tests that may be ordered during the diagnostic process include blood and lab tests, imaging studies, and nerve function tests.
A fibromyalgia attack is also known as a flare-up. An attack can come on suddenly and cause mild to severe pain. These attacks may cause aching, burning, throbbing, or stabbing.
Debilitating pain was one of the most commonly reported early symptoms. A few described a feeling like they were getting a virus, and others experienced early symptoms like headaches, stiffness, nausea and gut problems, fatigue, insomnia, rashes and bruising, and forgetfulness (or 'brain fog'), alongside pain.
The central feature of fibromyalgia is chronic pain in multiple sites. These sites are the head, each arm, the chest, the abdomen, each leg, the upper back and spine, and the lower back and spine (including the buttocks). The pain may be mild to severe. It may feel like a deep ache, or a stabbing, burning pain.
Unfortunately, fibromyalgia is still a somewhat controversial diagnosis, because it is not yet fully understood and its symptoms can overlap with many other conditions. Some people even say that it's a “garbage can” diagnosis that's only given when no other one can be made.
The symptoms can be similar, but people with fibromyalgia are more likely to experience depression, irritable bowel syndrome, and widespread, persistent pain. Symptoms more common with MS include weakness, vision problems, muscle spasms, and bowel or bladder issues.
Key Differences Between MS and Fibromyalgia
MS is an autoimmune disease caused by a problem within the immune system that causes damage to the layer covering the nerves. Fibromyalgia is thought to be caused by abnormal levels of chemicals in the brain.