What is fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) ?
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a syndrome of chronic muscle pain that is recognized by distinct areas of tenderness in specific locations called “tender points.” According to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, patients must present with painful tender points in at least 11 of 18 specific body locations before they are diagnosed with generalized fibromyalgia. However, some physicians contend that there can be a more localized, or regional form of fibromyalgia, and that regional fibromyalgia can occur at fewer than 11 tender points. As medical technology has advanced, and more sensitive tests are available, some researchers have come to believe that the musculoskeletal discomfort used to define fibromyalgia is really just one symptom of a biochemical, systemic problem, in which the body malfunctions at the most basic cellular level.
In 1993, the World Health Organization (WHO) met and passed the Copenhagen Declaration, which officially declared fibromyalgia a syndrome. The Copenhagen Declaration not only accepted the ACR criteria, but also recognized that fibromyalgia could produce symptoms outside of muscle pain, including headaches, irritable bladder, dysmenorrhea, cold sensitivity, Raynaud’s phenomenon, restless legs, numbness and tingling, depression, and fatigue.
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