| eeks you have been aching from head to foot. You | | | | concussion. But if you ache all over and suffer from |
| have no energy, you can’t concentrate and | | | | chronic fatigue for months on end, have trouble |
| you can’t remember the last time you got a | | | | focusing and struggle with anxiety and depression, it |
| good night’s sleep. You have been to the | | | | must first be determined what you DON’T |
| doctor a few times already and all he can tell you is | | | | have rather than what you DO have. Because if you |
| what you DON’T have. You have read about | | | | have fibromyalgia, there is no test that will indicate |
| fibromyalgia and even talked to others that have | | | | that you have it. |
| been diagnosed with the disease. Yet, so far, no one | | | | In other words, diagnosing fibromyalgia is difficult. |
| can tell you whether you have it or not? | | | | This process is very contrary to the health care |
| Sound familiar? | | | | system as currently structured. The optimal level of |
| Well welcome to the world of fibromyalgia | | | | testing and analysis to reach a confident diagnosis of |
| diagnostics. It is bad enough that there is no cure or | | | | fibromyalgia can be cost prohibitive. As a result, the |
| significantly effective treatment for this condition, but | | | | symptoms of fibromyalgia can be conveniently |
| it is even more frustrating when it takes so long for | | | | dismissed as psychosomatic. Conversely, fibromyalgia |
| anyone to tell you that the problems you are having | | | | can become the catchall diagnosis when there is |
| are caused by fibromyalgia. | | | | resistance to traveling the long road to a conclusive |
| There is no debate as to the validity of fibromyalgia | | | | diagnosis. Either way, the patient loses. |
| as a disease. In fact, the World Health Organization | | | | Sometimes, a patient receives great relief when they |
| has recognized the disease for many years. It is the | | | | are told what the problem is, even if a solution is |
| diagnosis that is debatable. | | | | unclear. Receiving a confidant diagnosis of |
| Fibromyalgia is a very confusing and misunderstood | | | | fibromyalgia may not provide relief but at least it |
| condition. It has been known by many different | | | | allows the sufferer to move forward to explore |
| names for well over a century but was not termed | | | | treatment alternatives. |
| “fibromyalgia” until the 1970’s. | | | | The American College of Rheumatology has made |
| The term is derived from the actual experience of | | | | this diagnostic process easier for patient and |
| the condition. “Fibro” – which | | | | physician by developing criteria for fibromyalgia that |
| represents the fibrous tissues affected (i.e. ligaments | | | | can be used in diagnosing the disorder. According to |
| and tendons); “Myo” – | | | | the criteria established by the ACR, a person is |
| representing the muscular system; and | | | | considered to have fibromyalgia if he or she has |
| “Algia” – meaning | | | | experienced widespread pain for at least three |
| “pain,” which is the dominant | | | | months in combination with tenderness in at least 11 |
| manifestation of this disease. Essentially, fibromyalgia | | | | of 18 specific tender point sites. While this may not |
| means being in pain almost everywhere. | | | | be as definitive as a blood test or X-rays for other |
| Fibromyalgia must be diagnosed through a process of | | | | conditions, at least there is guidance that results in |
| elimination. In other words, before a complaint can be | | | | diagnosis with a high degree of confidence. |
| labeled fibromyalgia, it must first be determined that | | | | As for treating fibromyalgia… well |
| there is not some other cause. If your appendix is | | | | that’s another story! (I’ll deal with |
| inflamed, you have appendicitis. If you fall and bang | | | | treatments in a subsequent article. Stay tuned. |
| your head a CT scan will indicate if you have a | | | | |