Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is hard to diagnose because many of the symptoms are like those of other disorders. There is no lab test for FM. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has developed criteria for FM. According to ACR criteria, a person is considered to have FM if he or she has:

• widespread pain for at least 3 months, and

• tenderness in at least 11 of 18 specific tender point sites in the neck, spine, shoulders, hips, and knees.

There is some controversy about the criteria for diagnosing FM. Some experts believe that it is not necessary to have at least 11 tender points for diagnosis, or pain that affects all segments of the body at the same time.