Some health-care providers diagnose Fibromyalgia in patients who have fewer tender points but who otherwise have severe, widespread symptoms. The standard tender points are located in the muscle or other soft tissue on the left and right sides and the front and back of the body. Those who have Fibromyalgia may have unusual tenderness at any of several other points on the body as well.
Testing is done to rule out other causes of the symptoms.
Diagnosis of FMS is based on a properly taken patient history, along with certain definitive physical findings. FMS is a syndrome. An entity defined by a group of related symptoms. This designation in no way diminishes the seriousness of the condition, it just denotes our failure of finding definitive diagnostic lab or X-Ray tests. The pain of fibromyalgia is generally widespread, involving both sides of the body as well as above and below the waist and the front and back.