Knowra Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and cognitive difficulties. Its symptoms are associated with altered pain processing, though no single cause or diagnostic test is established.
Central sensitization : Increased responsiveness of the central nervous system to sensory signals, which can amplify pain. It offers a framework for widespread pain and heightened sensitivity, without fully explaining every case.
2016 revisions to the fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria : Diagnostic criteria that combine widespread pain and symptom severity, without requiring a tender-point examination. They show how diagnosis shifted toward symptom patterns and away from a fixed tender-point count.
Rheumatoid arthritis : A chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammatory joint pain, swelling, and potential joint damage. Unlike fibromyalgia, it produces objective inflammatory joint findings and can damage joints.
Fibromyalgia biomarkers : Measurable biological features investigated for their ability to identify fibromyalgia or predict its course. No biomarker currently confirms the diagnosis, and proposed markers need validation.
Nociplastic pain : Pain arising from altered nociception without clear evidence of tissue damage or a lesion of the somatosensory system. Fibromyalgia is commonly classified as nociplastic pain, distinguishing it from inflammatory or nerve-injury pain.
Differential diagnosis : The process of distinguishing a condition from other disorders that can produce similar symptoms. Assessment considers conditions such as inflammatory disease, thyroid disorders, and sleep disorders.
Polymyalgia rheumatica : An inflammatory disorder causing pain and stiffness around the shoulders and hips, usually in adults over 50. Its age pattern, inflammatory markers, and response to corticosteroids help distinguish it from fibromyalgia.
Neuroimaging of pain : The use of brain imaging methods to study neural activity and structure associated with pain. Imaging findings support altered pain processing but do not yet provide an individual diagnostic test.
Pain threshold : The minimum stimulus intensity at which a person perceives a sensation as painful. People with fibromyalgia often show increased sensitivity to pressure and other stimuli.
Exercise prescription : The planned selection and progression of physical activity to meet health or rehabilitation goals. Gradually adapted aerobic and strengthening activity can improve function and symptoms.
Show all 21