Free Article: Fibromyalgia with Multiple Sclerosis

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Fibromyalgia with Multiple Sclerosis: Getting an Accurate Diagnosis
By Phillip Johnstone

Fibromyalgia is considered a syndrome, which means that a cluster of symptoms will develop with no known cause attached. This makes a condition like fibromyalgia difficult to diagnose, since a doctor will need to perform a comprehensive workup based on symptoms, family history and perhaps medical tests. Unlike other diseases and illnesses that can be diagnosed quickly and accurately with a single exam or collection of tests, there is no conclusive way to diagnose fibromyalgia. This lumps it into a category with other illnesses of similar characteristics, like chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus and multiple sclerosis. To make matters even cloudier, fibromyalgia with multiple sclerosis can be experienced in tandem. This makes it challenging to diagnose and treat either or both of these symptoms.

Seeing Fibromyalgia Symptoms with Multiple Sclerosis

The reason that fibromyalgia is lumped with multiple sclerosis and so many other disorders is due in part to the similarity of many of the symptoms. Some of the common symptoms that characterize fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis include numbness or tingling in various areas of the body, muscle stiffness that primarily occurs in the morning with fibromyalgia, and a loss of muscle function. In the case of fibromyalgia, the loss of muscle function can most often be attributed to the pain and fatigue of the condition, while MS patients suffer from a loss of muscle function due to the neurological side of the disorder. In addition to the fact that fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis present with many similar symptoms, the symptoms can also be widespread throughout the body, and can come and go in a seemingly random pattern.

Diagnosing Fibromyalgia and Multiple Sclerosis

The key in determining the difference between fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis is in the diagnosis process that your doctor follows. Multiple sclerosis generally requires a series of neurological exams for an accurate diagnosis. The good news is that this process will usually turn up an accurate diagnosis that will lead to a quicker and more effective treatment plan. On the other hand, fibromyalgia is generally treated by alleviating the symptoms, since permanent damage to the muscles or tissue in the body rarely result from this condition. While some of the treatment options between fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis can be similar as well, it is important for the focus of the treatment to be in the right place to ensure the most effective results.

Author Details:
Phillip Johnstone has been a sufferer of chronic fatigue since 1983, unable to pursue a normal career he spends what time he can writing for web sites about the problem.

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