Fibromyalgia Defined

Fibromyalgia
(fi-bro-my-AL-ja)

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) produces chronic body-wide pain, which migrates and can be felt from head to toe.

Fibromyalgia is an increasingly recognized chronic pain illness which is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue, and sleep disturbances. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic girdle, and hands, but any body part can be involved. Fibromyalgia patients experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that wax and wane over time.

FMS (fibromyalgia (fi-bro-my-Al-juh) syndrome) is a widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder for which the cause is still unknown. Fibromyalgia means pain in the fibrous tissues in the body. The pain comes from the connective tissues, such as the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. FMS does not involve the joints, as does rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
http://www.ukfibromyalgia.com/support_pages/support-definition.html

A complex chronic painful condition, primarily occurring in women, characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, and fatigue, and accompanied by tender points at defined locations, often associated with a non-restorative sleep pattern.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1T4WZPA_enUS257US258&defl=en&q=define:Fibromyalgia&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

Fibromyalgia is considered an arthritis-related condition. However,it is not a form of arthritis (a disease of the joints) since it does not cause inflammation in the joints, muscles, or other tissues or damage them. But fibromyalgia can (like arthritis) cause significant pain and fatigue and it can similarly interfere with a person's ability to carry on daily activities.
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=3453

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that causes fatigue and amplified musculoskeletal pain all over the body. It affects women more than men, particularly women of childbearing age. Approximately 2% of the population suffers from fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia makes even the slighest physical stimuli to the body seem ultra painful. It is thought that persons with fibromyalgia process pain differently in their bodies, causing the syndrome. Fibromyalgia pain is widespread throughout the body. If a patient has 11 out of 18 tender points found in specific locations such as the base of the skull, the hip bone, etc., a fibromyalgia diagnosis is made. In general, pain is felt in the neck, back, shoulders, hips, buttocks and arms.
http://backandneck.about.com/od/f/g/fibro.htm

A syndrome characterized by chronic pain, stiffness, and tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints without detectable inflammation. Fibromyalgia does not cause body damage or deformity. However, undue fatigue plagues the large majority of patients with fibromyalgia and sleep disorders are common in fibromyalgia.