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Fibromyalgia is a tough disease to diagnose. That’s because it leaves few obvious markers that doctors can use to determine if a patient has fibromyalgia. So if you have fibromyalgia, it’s difficult to get the diagnosis you need to begin finding a useful treatment. So what kinds of tests can you ask your doctor to run if you think you have fibromyalgia?
Tests For Fibromyalgia
The primary way that doctors test for fibromyalgia is still by testing the 18 tender points around your body. And after discussing your symptoms with you, they will press their finger into these points and ask if they hurt. This is the most reliable way to look for fibromyalgia.
The other symptoms of fibromyalgia can also be things like chronic fatigue disorder, which causes a constant feeling of exhaustion, similar to the fatigue of fibromyalgia. The best way for the doctor to rule out other diseases is to run tests. While fibromyalgia can’t be detected by most forms of medical tests, things like arthritis or chronic fatigue disorder can. Your doctor may want to test you for these diseases before they conclude that you have fibromyalgia.
They will also ask you about your symptoms to determine if your pain has the marks of fibromyalgia, which are that the pain is widespread and has been present for at least three months.
There’s really only one test for fibromyalgia that a doctor can actually run in a lab. Your doctor can order a blood test if they suspect you have fibromyalgia. They will then test your blood for an increased number of immune cells. While this isn’t definitive proof of fibromyalgia, it can help rule out other possible diseases.
What Can You Do To Find Out If You Have Fibromyalgia?
There aren’t really any effective tests available for fibromyalgia, which means that diagnosing the disease requires doctors to judge based on your symptoms. It’s important to keep up with your symptoms and remember when they started, as well as where they were located.
It’s only by being very specific and honest with your doctor that you’ll be able to get an accurate diagnosis. And remember that if your doctor doesn’t know what is causing your symptoms and you feel that you might still have fibro, there are many doctors who specialize in the disease.
The most important thing is to be aware of your symptoms and not be afraid to go to a doctor. Fibromyalgia is not curable, but there are many ways to treat it. You just have to be proactive about finding something that works for you.
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