1990 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) FMS
Classification Criteria:
(Source: The Fibromyalgia Help Book, Fransen and Russell, p. 9)
Patient History: Widespread Aching.
Examination: Local Tenderness at 11 of 18 Specified Sites. Lasting 3 or More Months.
Prevalence: 90% of FMS Patients are Women / 10% of FMS Patients are Men.
FMS Symptoms
(Source: The Fibromyalgia Help Book, Fransen and Russell, pp. 7-14)
Soft Tissue Pain is the primary symptom of FMS. Usually occurring at 11 of 18 specified Tender Point sites. Tender Points detected by palpation at certain characteristic sites, were discovered by researchers about 20 years ago, which have become the hallmark for diagnosing fibromyalgia.
Sleep Disturbance occurs in 90% of FMS patients in one or more of the following forms of insomnia: difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, inability to fall back to sleep, tossing and turning all night and early morning awakenings.
Fatigue is a major symptom of fibromyalgia.
Neurological Symptoms occur in about 25% of FMS patients and are reported as numbness and tingling in arms and legs, hands feel clumsy and swollen.
Headaches as a regular experience are reported by over 40% of FMS patients.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is reported by 30% of FMS patients, whose experience includes intermittent bouts of diarrhea, constipation, crampy abdominal pain, bloating, gas and other digestive difficulties.
Interstitial Cystitis (IC) which is an inflammatory (possibly autoimmune) disorder affecting the wall of the bladder.
Subjective Swelling frequently reported as a swelling sensation of the hands, feet and ankles when there is no visible or palpable swelling present.
Joint Pain in the hands, wrists, elbows, neck, chest wall, hip, knees, ankles and feet are frequently reported by FMS patients.
Chest Wall Pain is reported by about 33% of FMS patients and before diagnostic tests are performed is mistaken for heart abnormalities.
Cold Sensitivity is reported by many FMS patients and almost 40% also have symptoms similar to those of Raynaud’s phenomenon, a condition in which small blood vessels in the hand overrespond to cold and develop spasms.
Memory and Concentration Difficulties are reported by 25% of FMS patients.
Commonly Occurring Conditions with FMS (Source: The Fibromyalgia Help Book, Fransen and Russell, p.15)
Osteoarthritis
Cervical and low back degenerative diseases
Rheumatoid arthritis
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Ankylosing spondylitis
Hypothyroidism
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Lyme disease
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Prolapsed mitral valve
HIV infection
Myofascial pain syndrome
Sjogren’s syndrome