It's not life-threatening or disfiguring, however, fibromyalgia can be very debilitating, sufferers say. Currently there is no cure for the condition, but if properly managed, its effects can be decreased. Fibromyalgia affects 3 to 6 million Americans, according to the American College of Rheumatology. To help understand fibromyalgia, here are eight facts. Fibromyalgia is characterized by musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and multiple tender points.
Many sufferers describe the pain as similar to the aches that accompany the flu.
Often, sharper pains also travel throughout the body. Sleep disturbances are also widely reported in people with fibromyalgia. No two people will have the same set of symptoms, experts say. Fibromyalgia is difficult to diagnose because its symptoms mimic those of other diseases. Doctors have misdiagnosed fibromyalgia as arthritis, thyroid disease, Lyme disease, chronic fatigue syndrome or hypochondriasis.