M.D. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that afflicts an estimated five million Americans, most of them women between the ages of 20 and 50. People affected by fibromyalgia may not realize these points exist until a doctor familiar with the condition applies pressure to these areas. Fibromyalgia produces no crippling or deformity but can be extremely painful and frustrating to the patient. Physical therapy may be helpful and could include such techniques as heat, ice, massage, whirlpool, and electrical stimulation to help control pain.
Some patients benefit from medication for pain relief.
Fibromyalgia's persistent discomfort, combined with the fact that many physicians know little about it, have made it a fertile field for unsubstantiated treatments. Location of Tender Points.