In America, between three and six million people, or one in every fifty, suffer from fibromyalgia, a syndrome characterized by debilitating pain throughout the body without any obvious cause. Although people often improve over time, it is often something they will have to face for life.

If you have chronic muscle pain, however, it does not necessarily mean that you have fibromyalgia. If you are concerned that you may have fibromyalgia, it is important to keep in mind that there are many other symptoms that accompany muscle pain. Take a look at the signs and symptoms below to get a better understanding.

Symptoms of fibromyalgia 
If you find that your muscles are sore on a constant basis without obvious external causes, consult this list of symptoms to help you determine if you could have fibromyalgia

All the symptoms are unlikely to match, but if most of them resonate with you, then bring your concerns to the  doctor who will be able to rule out all other causes first.

Muscles and 
muscle tissues Spasm muscles 
Morning stiffness 
Swelling 
Mild and intense pains that can move to different parts of the body 
Soft and knotty breasts (fibrocystic breast, like an overlap) 
Sleep problems 
Tiredness 
Grinding of teeth 
even during sleep 
Feeling Falling asleep (“Starts sleep”) 
Difficulty sleeping / broken sleep, leaving you tired and apathetic every morning rather than refreshed. 
Allergic and sinus disorders 
Ringing ears Thick 
mucus 
Itchy ears and earaches 
Nose drip and post nasal drip
Allergies, sensitivity to molds and yeasts 
Shortness of breath 
Stomach problems and digestion 
Swelling, nausea, abdominal cramps and pelvic pain 
Frequent urination (always need to pee, get up every night, often more than once) 
IBS 
Sensory Problems and Sensitivity 
Sensitive to odors, light, noise, temperature, pressure and climate change. 
Difficulty with night driving and seeing in poor lighting conditions 
Cognitive difficulties 
Poor coordination and balance 
Directional difficulties and recognizing familiar environments
Exclude often, difficulty concentrating, short-term memory and differentiation between certain shades of color. 
Burning or tingling in the upper limbs 
Impaired language and difficulty speaking familiar words 
Reproductive problems 
Loss of libido 
Impotence 
PMS and other menstrual problems 
Problems 
cardiac Irregular heartbeat Problems with 
valves 
pain similar to a heart attack 
hair, skin and nails 
Nails or overprinted nails sagging under the 
skin that bruises or scars easily or appears mottled 
Hair Loss 
Mental Health Symptoms
Anxiety, depression, panic attacks 
Unexplained mood swings and irritability 
Other symptoms 
Family history 
Unexplained weight gain or weight loss 
Carbohydrates and chocolate cravings 
Headaches and migraines 
Visual changes 
Sweating 
Remember that all these signs and symptoms are not specific, which means that they can be caused by or indicate another condition, or they could be random and mean absolutely nothing. For example, just because PMS occur, from time to time they are moody, have cravings, or experience migraines, does not mean that you have fibromyalgia. Once again, talk to your doctor before jumping to any conclusion.

How is fibromyalgia diagnosed? 
Unfortunately, fibromyalgia can be confused with other conditions, and there are no specific tests that can give one hundred percent certain diagnoses, making diagnosis difficult.

First of all, you must meet the specific criteria set by the American College of Rheumatology to receive a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

Widespread pain that has been present for at least 3 months in all four quadrants of the body 
11 out of 18 painful points, with pain felt when palpated on those points 
Negative results for any other disease on any of the diagnostic tests performed 
Because there is no a test that can determine if someone has fibromyalgia, doctors use a combination of diagnostic tests to help rule out other conditions and make the cause of the disease stronger.