Can you have a main area of pain and still have FM?

[Sarah-Jane]

I have just received an email from a lady in America who has had pain in her shoulder and arm for years and has been diagnosed as having FM. It was just that the pain hid the other areas of sensitivity. I have been told that because my pain is hips, mostly right hip it cannot be FM. I am interested in whether you have had this experience - a pain in one area but diagnosed as having FM? Thank you.

[Bren]

My pain is in my arms most of the time. But the doctor told me the pain was actually coming from my neck. Nightmare

[barnsleysar]

my pain is mostly in my lower back but also my right elbow and wrist x

[tofty]

My friend has just been diagnosed with fm in her shouldes n neck so i surpose in can b localized .

[Sarah-Jane]

Thank you, I just feel so wretched wondering whether I have it or not. I just keep asking myself that question and searching on line for the answer. This helps a little.

[LindseyMid]

Fibro is all over. If you haven't got pain in all four quadrants of your body (above and below the waist, right and left sides) then you do not fulfil the diagnostic criteria for Fibro.

Fibromyalgia used to be known as Fibrositis...and so did Myofascial Pain. What we now know as two conditions under the one label. Many doctors (and medical texts) haven't moved on with this. So people with Myofascial Pain but not Fibromyalgia are now sometimes diagnosed as having Fibro...and then wonder why their symptoms do not fit the Fibro diagnostic criteria and why treatments for Fibro don't work well for them.

Many people with Fibro also have Myofascial Pain as well. This is a common cause of localised symptoms in people with Fibro.

If the tender point test is done well, it should pick up on widespread hypersensitivity to pain in people with Fibro. Localised pain would not mask this, and you would expect someone with Fibro to get some pain throughout their body, even if the worst pain was in a localised area (possibly because that was due to Myofascial Pain).

[Nance in reply to LindseyMid]

Hi, I have fibro pain all over & suffer severe myofacial pain on a regular basis sometimes for weeks on end, and I do have to say when the 'fibro head ' eases I can cope with the body pains better !( I am hypermobile too)

I have only met 1 other fibro sufferer since being diagnosed last February after 15months of ct & mri scans, blood tests, steroid injections, etc ...anyhoo, this other lady only suffers fibro from the waist up ? I have to admit here I am still learning what fibro is as until I was diagnosed I had never heard of it.....although my medical history has shown up many signs of it prior to being hit hard after a bout of severe flu, followed by swine flu which is believed to have brought my fibro to the surface ....I hope that makes sense to you ?

[Sarah-Jane]

Okay, I do understand what you are saying LindseyMid, however I do have pain elsewhere, just not all the time. My hands, left arm, both hips, right back, both thighs, knees, calves, feet, mostly left, migraines until I am sick, I think I have IBS as I vary in consistency [hugely and for no apparent reason] but now being on meds I am not sure whether they are affecting them, my skin on my legs is particularly sensitive as if badly bruised and reacts badly to pressure and temperature, my hands go white when I hold and cold drink and actually hurt?! I have very tender points that only react if pressed too. Its just that my hips, when at their worst like they are building to now, almost make me want to scream. There is no position comfortable and I have no idea what to do with myself. Thats what makes it possible to ignore the other things. I realise I am not as bad as some I know of and I really do not want to be like they are as it sounds awful, but how can I not have FM? And yes, I understand about typing hurting fingers and hands as I was worse yesterday, but today they are sore too. [Forgot left ribcage, but think thats down to the pluerisy I had about 8 years ago now]. Please don't be angry with me, I just want to know?

[lolly1970]

FM is all over but it can move around - one day your arms and shoulders will be the worst spots the next it could be your lower back or hips. On bad days its head to toe - right down to the guiders in your hands and feet. That said I also sometimes get very localised acute pain in my right hip. I went to see the Dr with it because my Dad's had both his hips replaced so I was worried it could be arthritis rather than fm. Dr said it was probably tendonitis made worse by the fm, I think if your pain is always local then this could be the cause.

[lolly1970]

Sorry Sarah Jane, just read your latest post (it crossed with mine) what you're describing there sounds very much like classic fm symptoms. I'd recommend you keep a diary of your symptoms over a month or more and then go back to the Dr. Also rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10 each day. Our memories don't recall pain (that's why we have more than one child) therefore its very difficult to describe to a Dr just how bad you've been on your very worst days. A diary is a good way to really get across a full picture of your health.

[Sarah-Jane]

Thanks, at a 9 right now so can't stop. Will try...

[LindseyMid]

If you have widespread pain (and you clearly do from your response above) then you can certainly have Fibro. Widespread pain, along with widespread hyperalgesia and associated autonomic symptoms are the hallmarks of Fibro.

If your hip pain is predictable (i.e. it's not a pain that is jumping around your body and just happens to "land" on your hips) then I would see someone to get thoroughly assessed for both hypermobility and myofascial pain. Both of these are very common alongside Fibro, but both need a slightly different approach. A lot of the symptoms you describe could be at least partly due to myofascial pain, even if you do have FIbro as well. If you can't go private, then get an NHS referral for physiotherapy and make it clear to the Physio that you are there because of severe hip pain and that you would like them to assess you for both hypermobility and myofascial trigger points.

If you can go private, there may be someone better for you to see, or to see as well for better treatment. I see you are in Sussex. There is a very good advanced massage school in Brighton so there may be some good myofascial release therapists in your area.

[unio06]

I was told i have Fibromyalgia and Myofascial.

When i first got ill it startid as a high tempreture for two months then i got constent headaces, then it went down my right side to my neck then i had local anestetic injectid into mu neck that dident help mutch and accupuntcher that made things worse and now i have pain down my right side and from time to time i get pain on left side. if my headace is worse than my nech pain then its the head pain is what takes over my day and vicer vercer. it was the pain clinic who diagnosed me and said there is nothing more they can do.

i have noticed since i became ill that i do have reactions to some medication even ones i have had befor that i was ok with.