World Fibromyalgia Day

Owing to diagnostic difficulties, fibromyalgia was long thought to be an imaginary disease. In France, health insurance did not consider it a real disease until 2017.

Neither laboratory tests nor radiological examinations can confirm the diagnosis. Worldwide, 2% to 3% of the population is estimated to suffer from the condition. In France, about two million people are affected by the disease.

The first symptom of fibromyalgia is chronic pain lasting for over three months. This major symptom is likely to be caused by an abnormal transmission of pain messages within the body. Pain is often accompanied by extreme fatigue and sleep disorders. The exact causes of the condition are still unclear, though the disease is most likely linked to several factors such as genes, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression.

Fibromyalgia is diagnosed through a complete interview, a detailed physical examination, and the process of elimination. The patient is subjected to various tests aimed to rule out other diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Overall, 18 body pressure points are subjected to clinical examination. If 11 of these 18 tender points provoke pain, and there are other symptoms, a fibromyalgia diagnosis may be confirmed.