When going to the doctor's the patient will be asked some specific questions and the answers the patient gives will indicate the doctor whether the patient has fibromyalgia or not.



For example, the doctor will want to know if you have pains in specific areas of the body but there are no bruises; will want to know how intense these pains are, measured on a scale from 1 to 10. Most people who have fibromyalgia complain of a pain more intense than 6. Other questions are regarding to you sleep, if you have problems with sleeping more than 3 nights a weeks and if when you wake up you feel even more tired; if you needed to adjust you lifestyle because you might feel tired and achy; if you are depressed, confused, you forget things without any particular reason.

The fact than many patients answer positive at most of the questions is pointing them towards fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome or unrelenting fatigue but even if one answer is positive they can be suspected of having one of these affections and further tests are needed to see exactly which disease is present.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia are: exhaustion, body pain which resembles to that caused by the flu; the presence of tender points, body aches, insomnia and depression (which is not caused by traumatic events but by chronic discomfort); some might complain about irritable bowel syndrome, others about headaches which are reoccurring periodically; in some cases the patients present reoccurring infections and cognitive problems.

The symptoms of chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome are extreme fatigue which is not related to any known cause, problems at work due to the constant fatigue, reoccurring sore throat, pain in the muscles and problems with concentration and even with the short term memory. Some might experience joint pains, tender lymph nodes, even chronic low grade fever. Headaches are present but hey are unlike those previously experienced.

The symptoms of unrelenting fatigue are: exhaustion which lasts a long time and does not seem to be solved by sleeping, problems in performing the daily activities at work and at home, problems with concentration, constant headaches, gaining weight and hormonal imbalances.

Having some of these symptoms can lead the doctor towards an adequate diagnosis but further tests need to be done in order to see exactly what affection is bothering the patient.