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Fibromyalgia Diagnosis: How It Is
Done?
Fibromyalgia is one of the most difficult to diagnose diseases
of the present age because, despite of the appalling pain it is
characterized by, there is no other test that can confirm it.
All the laboratory tests come negative though the pain
originally points towards arthritis or rheumatic joints.
A fibromyalgia diagnosis is positively made only when a
complete battery of tests is run that rules out all other
possibilities. This method is quite frustrating not to mention
very expensive.
Two Methods That Confirm Fibromyalgia Diagnosis
As mentioned earlier in most cases fibromyalgia diagnosis is
reached by excluding all other possibilities. Besides this
exclusion method, you have two more processes that would
corroborate the finding.
Personal Medical History
The first method than can help you is a thorough investigation
of your own medical history. The doctor would probe into your
past to get a sketch of your psychological profile that would
point to fibromyalgia. These would include symptoms such as
muscle weakness, lack of concentration, excessive fatigue,
acute body ache for no apparent reason, skin rashes, any
injuries and medication taken during the past one year, and so
on. Such details would help the doctor confirm the fibromyalgia
diagnosis.
Physical Examination
The second process that normally supports the first method is
the physical examination. Given the fact that your tests have
come out negative the doctor would examine your whole body
looking for the 10 to 20 tender spots that so much characterize
this disease. These tender spots would look and behave as fresh
bruises but unlike bruises there would be no history of getting
hurt in those spots. These places would be extremely painful to
touch though they show no untoward signs of inflammation or
infection that would justify the pain. These tender spots tend
to shift over time.
Since the fibromyalgia diagnosis needs to rule out all other
possibilities, the physical examination would also look for
signs of arthritis, thyroid problem, rheumatism, etc. so in the
end there would be no doubt about the fact that the pain you
are suffering from is due fibromyalgia.
The Plan of Action After the Fibromyalgia Diagnosis
Once the diagnosis is made you need to concentrate on how to
effectively reduce the pain. There is medication that would
help you sleep better, manage depression, reduce pain and
improve your mobility. There are indications that regular and
specifically tailored-for-you exercises would not only help you
control the devastating pain, but also improve your ability to
move freely as well as fight depression effectively.
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