How to Diagnose Fibromyalgia
Because researchers have had a hard time pinpointing the cause of fibromyalgia, there isn’t a structured way to decide on a fibromyalgia diagnosis. There are no specific lab tests or processes to test someone for fibromyalgia, many times a person will go through many blood tests and other medical tests, only to discover that all the test results are normal. The process of diagnosing fibromyalgia is usually a matter of ruling out other diseases and conditions.
How to Diagnose Fibromyalgia:
Usually a person is diagnosed with fibromyalgia when they experience symtpoms of severe pain throughout their body and an extreme feeling of exhaustion, but when blood tests are performed they all come back normal.
General fibromyalgia classification guidelines were set by the American College of Rheumatology. These guidelines assist medical professionals in determining a fibromyalgia diagnosis. These guidelines state that a person must experience widespread pain for a minimum of three months, this pain is described as aching. The pain must occur throughout the body, at a minimum of at least eleven different places which are known as tender points. Those fibromyalgia trigger points experience abnormal levels of pain and react even when mild pressure is applied.
There are 18 locations on the body that are used for fibromylagia diagnosis, these fibromyalgia points cluster around the shoulders, neck, and chest; and the elbow, hip, and knee areas. Although there are many other areas on the body that can be a fibromyalgia tender point, these 18 locations are used to determine a fibromyalgia diagnosis.
Although these guidelines have been set up, not all doctors agree with them. Some doctors believe that there are be more mild cases of fibromyalgia, and those people may not meet the three month criteria or the eleven fibromyalgia tender points criteria.
If you suspect that you may have symptoms of fibromyalgia, you should visit your doctor. If you have fatigue accompanied by widespread aching pain, then contact your doctor so that they can help determine what is causing your symptoms.
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