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A New Free Report - What Is Fibromyalgia?
This fascinating new report from UK-based publishing house Health Research Today answers some of the most-asked questions about this baffling disease :
- What's the medical definition of Fibromyalgia?
- What are the symptoms of Fibromyalgia?
- What are tender points and what are trigger points? What's the difference?
- What are the known causes of Fibromyalgia?
Fill in this form and we will send you the report immediately, which you are welcome to send on to friends or family!
What Is Fibromyalgia
This article is an extract from the ebook Freedom From Fibromyalgia!
Fibromyalgia Tender Points
Diagnosing fibromyalgia can be tricky. Many doctors want to rule out every other possible illness before diagnosing fibromyalgia, and that means countless trips to doctors and hospitals for MRIs, blood tests, and consultations. The good news is, by being informed, you may be able to bypass the frustration by having your tender points tested early. Ultimately, a fibromyalgia diagnosis is rendered after a thorough examination of the 18 tender points.
Tender points are spots, which can be easily irritated in some people, located in the skeletal muscles. For someone who has fibromyalgia, compression of those tender points causes pain. Doctors will compress each of the 18 tender points on the patient’s body to determine if that patient has fibromyalgia. To be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you must have 11 out of 18 tender points that cause pain. Additionally, you must have experienced widespread pain for a minimum of three months, which we’ll discuss later.
You’ll likely also hear doctors, and other medical professionals, refer to trigger points or fibromyalgia point triggers. It’s important to understand that tender and trigger points are separate terms and are not interchangeable. While tender points cause pain upon compression and are only found in certain parts of the body, trigger points can occur anywhere in the body. Additionally, trigger points refer to pain somewhere else. For example, a trigger point in the shoulder triggers pain in the neck and the head.
In addition to testing your tender points, your doctor should extensively question you about your medical history and should give you a thorough examination. Because fibromyalgia shares the same symptoms with several other illnesses – including lupus, Lyme disease, and rheumatoid arthritis - your doctor will also want to rule out other potential illnesses. To do this, he or she will likely initiate blood work and perhaps request an MRI. (An MRI is a non-invasive procedure that produces a two-dimensional view of an internal organ or structure.)
While any doctor can technically test your tender points, you want to have your primary physician refer you to a good rheumatologist. A rheumatologist is simply a specialist who deals in illnesses, such as fibromyalgia and arthritis, that affect the joints, muscles, and bones. With fibromyalgia, point pressure is applied by the rheumatologist, who will then determine whether you have fibromyalgia.
Trigger points are found in Myofascial syndrome, which is separate from fibromyalgia. However, it’s not uncommon for someone with fibromyalgia to also have Myofascial syndrome. Keep in mind, however, that those with fibromyalgia have their tender points, not their trigger points, tested.
According to The American College of Rheumatology Criteria for the Classification of Fibromyalgia, passed in 1990, a diagnosis of fibromyalgia can be rendered if the patient has exhibited widespread pain for at least three months and if 11 of the 18 tender points produce pain when touched and/or pressed down on.
Widespread pain, as defined by the American College of Rheumatology, is considered having pain in both sides of your body and both below and above your waist. You must also have pain in your: lower back, thoracic or cervical spine, and anterior chest. Additionally, your 18 tender points must be tested to determine if 11 out of the 18 exhibit pain.
Your doctor will likely test your tender points after he discusses your medical history with you and finds out whether or not you’re suffering from widespread pain and, if you are, where that pain is at. Testing of the fibromyalgia tender points is actually quite simple.
To test your fibromyalgia tender points, your doctor will apply pressure to the 18 tender points throughout your body. Tender points are found in clusters in the shoulder, hip, neck, chest, elbow, and knee areas. With fibromyalgia, points are generally very tender to the touch.
Be aware that after the doctor tests your tender points, you’ll likely feel sore, especially in the most affected tender point areas. Realize this is natural, and there’s nothing to be concerned about. However, you might want to schedule an appointment at a time where you’ll be able to go home and rest afterwards.
If you’ve been experiencing any of the symptoms of fibromyalgia and have had widespread pain for at least three months, you’ll want to consult your local physician or ask him to refer you to a rheumatologist. While you’ll likely have to have blood tests taken, you’ll also want to request a fibromyalgia tender point test.
© Health Research Today
Read the rest of this article in Freedom From Fibromyalgia!
