What can be misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia may be mistaken for one of the following six conditions, among others:
  • Celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity.
  • Hypothyroidism/Hashimoto's disease.
  • Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome (myalgic encephalomyelitis)
  • Myofacial pain.

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What can fibromyalgia be mistaken for?

Several rheumatic diseases can mimic fibromyalgia. These include sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Lyme disease, polymyalgia rheumatica and lupus. They have symptoms of widespread pain along with joint involvement.

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Can fibromyalgia be wrongly diagnosed?

To diagnose this condition, a physician is likely to ask about a person's medical history. They may also perform a physical exam and request X-rays and blood tests. Although fibromyalgia is prevalent, new research has found that doctors have misdiagnosed many people as having this condition.

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What is the difference between polymyalgia and fibromyalgia?

Both fibromyalgia and polymyalgia are more common in women than men. Fibromyalgia can occur at any age, but polymyalgia rarely occurs before age 50. The average age of onset is 70. And whereas fibromyalgia is chronic, often lasting a lifetime, polymyalgia usually resolves itself within two years.

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Can a neurologist tell if you have fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is often diagnosed and managed by a rheumatologist, which is an internal medicine doctor who has specialized training in joint and musculoskeletal diseases. Multiple sclerosis is diagnosed and managed by a neurologist, which is a doctor who specializes in treating disorders of the brain and nervous system.

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Misdiagnosed with Fibromyalgia? There's Hope for You!

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Will fibromyalgia show on MRI scan?

It means that an MRI may help both with diagnosing fibromyalgia, as well as the identification of the individual patient's unique subtype of the syndrome. This level of detail will potentially help doctors create more customized treatment plans for their fibromyalgia patients.

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Can you see fibromyalgia on a blood test?

There are no lab tests that can diagnose fibromyalgia. However, because many other conditions have symptoms similar to those or fibromyalgia, your doctor may order tests to rule out other causes of your symptoms.

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What does polymyalgia pain feel like?

Aches or pain in your neck, upper arms, buttocks, hips or thighs. Stiffness in affected areas, particularly in the morning or after being inactive for a time. Limited range of motion in affected areas. Pain or stiffness in your wrists, elbows or knees.

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What is fibromyalgia called now?

Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.

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Where does polymyalgia hurt?

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a condition that causes pain, stiffness and inflammation in the muscles around the shoulders, neck and hips.

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How do I know if my pain is fibromyalgia?

What are the signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia?
  1. Pain and stiffness all over the body.
  2. Fatigue and tiredness.
  3. Depression and anxiety.
  4. Sleep problems.
  5. Problems with thinking, memory, and concentration.
  6. Headaches, including migraines.

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Can a rheumatologist tell you if you have fibromyalgia?

However, because fibromyalgia can cause chronic pain and fatigue similar to arthritis, some people may advise you to see a rheumatologist. As a result, often a rheumatologist detects this disease (and rules out rheumatic diseases).

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Can fibromyalgia affect the eyes?

Fibromyalgia can be associated with ocular symptoms (foreign body sensation, irritation) and visual disturbances (blurred vision), coexisting with dry eye syndrome and reduced corneal sensitivity. Cases of scleritis, including the necrotizing form, accompanying fibromyalgia have been reported.

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What else has symptoms like fibromyalgia?

  • Gout.
  • Low Back Pain.
  • Osteoarthritis.
  • Reiter's Syndrome.
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis.
  • Scleroderma.
  • Sprains and Strains.
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

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Are most patients with fibromyalgia misdiagnosed?

In all, physicians failed to correctly diagnose 60 (49.6 percent) of those who met the ACR criteria for fibromyalgia. They also incorrectly diagnosed 43 individuals (11.4 percent) with the condition even though they didn't meet the ACR criteria.

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What are the top three primary symptoms of fibromyalgia?

The primary symptoms of fibromyalgia include:
  • Widespread pain. The pain associated with fibromyalgia often is described as a constant dull ache that has lasted for at least three months. ...
  • Fatigue. ...
  • Cognitive difficulties.

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What is the root cause of fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is often triggered by an event that causes physical stress or emotional (psychological) stress. Possible triggers include: a serious injury, such as after a car accident.

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What organs are affected by fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia was formerly classified as an inflammatory musculoskeletal disease but is now considered to be an illness that primarily affects the central nervous system.

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How severe can fibromyalgia get?

Fibromyalgia can make you extremely sensitive to pain all over your body, and you may find that even the slightest touch is painful. If you hurt yourself, such as stubbing your toe, the pain may continue for much longer than it normally would.

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What can be mistaken for polymyalgia?

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) causes symptoms similar to those of several other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and fibromyalgia.
...
What diseases mimic PMR?
  • rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
  • tendonitis or bursitis.
  • infections.
  • fibromyalgia.
  • Lyme disease.
  • spondyloarthropathy.
  • lupus.
  • vasculitis.

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Does polymyalgia show up in a blood test?

Tests. There's no specific test for polymyalgia rheumatica, but it's likely that a series of blood tests will be done. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are blood tests that can be used to check the levels of inflammation in your body.

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Can a GP diagnose polymyalgia?

See a GP if you have pain and stiffness for more than a week. They'll try to find out what's causing it. Diagnosing polymyalgia rheumatica can be difficult because the symptoms are similar to those of many other conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis.

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What are the inflammatory markers for fibromyalgia?

Results: We found significantly higher CRP levels, MPV, and PLR and lower lymphocyte count in the FMS group compared to the control group. Conclusions: FMS has certain inflammatory components that may be useful in disease diagnosis.

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What is the best doctor to see for fibromyalgia?

Rheumatologists are internists who specialize in treating arthritis and diseases of the joints, muscles, and soft tissues. Rheumatologists, arguably more than any other physician, closely follow fibromyalgia developments and will likely have the best knowledge base on the condition.

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Does fibromyalgia affect bowel movements?

Ninety (73%) of the fibromyalgia patients reported altered bowel function as compared to 20 (37%) DJD patients and none of the normal controls (P less than 0.001). Ninety-nine patients (81%) reported normal alternating with irregular bowel pattern, and 77 (63%) had alternating diarrhea and constipation.

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