Diagnosing Fibromyalgia

Although there is no “test” that will diagnose whether you have Fibromyalgia or not, and diagnosis can be notoriously difficult there are still pointers that you may exhibit that your doctor should pin point and lead to a diagnosis.

Diagnosis should include your doctor taking a full medical history, listening to you as you outline your pain and how you are feeling and a physical examination should also be carried out.

If you are not diagnosed with Fibromyalgia because your doctor is indifferent or simply has other ideas about what is wrong with you, then the delay can be psychologically damaging as well as physically damaging.

But just how does your doctor go about diagnosing whether you have Fibromyalgia or not?

1. You should have pain in 3 or more areas over the course of at least 3 months.
2. Have knock on symptoms such as disturbed sleep, irritable bowel syndrome, Fibro fog and perhaps a host of other symptoms, some of which may even be specific to you!
3. You should also have 5 or more tender points: neck, front of knees, wrists, hip joints etc.

That said, Fibromyalgia can vary from individual to individual and that can be one of the reasons why diagnosis can take so long - my friend Sophie’s diagnosis took 5 years!  Another reason it can take so long is coming up against indifferent or unsympathetic doctors.  In this day and age, you really shouldn’t put up with a doctor who doesn’t listen to you or believe what you are saying.

Once diagnosed, you can begin to understand the beast you are dealing with and you can begin to put into place, with the help of your medical team, a plan to manage your Fibromyalgia.