How is Fibromyalgia diagnosed ?
Currently there are no laboratory tests available for diagnosing fibromyalgia. Diagnosis is made largely upon the process of exclusion: other diseases for which tests exist are ruled out first. After ruling out other possible causes, a doctor may use patient history and a physical examination of tender points to help diagnose fibromyalgia. To receive a diagnosis of fibromyalgia , the patient must meet the following diagnostic criteria defined by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR):
- Widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for a minimum duration of three months;
- Tenderness or pain in a minimum of 11 of the 18 specified tender points on the body when pressure is applied;
However, some physicians feel that the ACR criteria are too stringent, and that fibromyalgia may exist in a more localized form that doesn’t meet the required number of tender points. Others question how reliable and valid tender points are as a means of diagnosis, since fibromyalgia seems to affect so many parts of the body other than the musculoskeletal system. The fact is, the fibromyalgia is still fairly difficult to identify. It is estimated that it takes an average of five years for a FM patient to get an accurate diagnosis.
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