Fibromyalgia
Adapted from these Arthritis Foundation publications: Fibromyalgia brochure and Guide to Good Living with Fibromyalgia. 

What Is It?

Fibromyalgia (fye-bro-my-AL-gee-ah) is an arthritis-related condition that is characterized by  generalized muscular pain and fatigue. The term "fibromyalgia" means pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. This condition is referred to as a "syndrome" because it's a set of signs and symptoms that occur together.

Fibromyalgia is especially confusing and often misunderstood condition. Because its symptoms are quite common and laboratory  tests are generally normal, people with fibromyalgia were once told that their condition was "all in their head." However, medical studies have proven that fibromyalgia does indeed exist, and it is estimated to affect about 2 percent of the U.S. population today.

In 1990, the American College of Rheumatology, the official body of doctors who treat arthritis and related conditions, finally legitimized fibromyalgia in the medical community by presenting its criteria for diagnosing it. It is diagnosed when the you display the following symptoms:

• A history of widespread pain (pain on both sides of the body and above and below the waist) that is present for at least three months
  
• Pain in at least 11 of 18 tender-point sites.