If you are experiencing widespread muscle pain and tender spots on your body, with or without other symptoms, it is a good idea to see the doctor to be evaluated for fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia can be difficult to diagnose, in part because the symptoms overlap with those of other conditions. In addition, there is no diagnostic test for fibromyalgia, no blood test or genetic screen or imaging procedure that can tell you definitively whether or not you have the disease. Therefore, diagnosis depends on your description of your symptoms and ruling out other possible causes for your symptoms, such as rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis.

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has established guidelines for diagnosing fibromyalgia. To meet the ACR criteria for fibromyalgia, you must have a history of widespread pain (pain in all four quadrants of the body) lasting for more than 3 months and have abnormal tenderness at a minimum of 11 out of 18 possible locations on your body. While tenderness can be experienced at many more body sites, the ACR diagnostic criteria specify that you must have tenderness at 11 of 18 specific body sites that are commonly affected in fibromyalgia.

So, when you go to your doctor with symptoms of fibromyalgia, in addition to taking your medical history and suggesting tests to rule out other condition, the doctor may apply firm pressure at specific points on your head, upper body, and other sites to determine which ones are tender. Some doctors may refer you to a rheumatology specialist for further testing. Other doctors may not be familiar with the ACR criteria or may disagree with the rigid requirements for a fibromyalgia diagnosis.