The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has provisionally accepted a new set of diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia that is expected to lead to better diagnosis and potentially to more people finally being able to put a name to the debilitating chronic pain, fatigue and mental fog symptoms they are experiencing.
Because there are no lab tests that can diagnose fibromyalgia, many patients end up seeing see numerous doctors before they receive a definite diagnosis. This can be frustrating and stressful for these patients, some of which are told the pain, exhaustion and other symptoms they are feeling are “all in your head”.
According to Dr. Robert Katz, a rheumatologist at Rush University Medical Center who helped write the new diagnostic criteria, this development is a very big deal, because the new criteria recognizes that fibromyalgia is more than just body pain.
The new criteria does away with the confusing and controversial tender point test (a physical exam that focuses on 18 points throughout the body) and instead creates a rating scale based on widespread pain and common symptoms such as significant fatigue, a lack of mental clarity and forgetfulness, sleep problems and an impaired ability to function doing normal activities.
With this new criteria, we will be able to diagnose more people. This is important because a definite diagnosis can lead to more focused and successful treatment and reducing the stress of the unknown,” said Katz.
The new criteria is published in the May issue of the ACR journal Arthritis Care & Research.
Read more about the new diagnostic criteria on WebMD.
Read the news release.
For more information about fibromyalgia visit the National Fibromyalgia Association website.
