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Fibromyalgia

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A Clinician's Pearls and Myths in Rheumatology

Abstract

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a soft tissue pain syndrome that has been estimated to affect 4% of the U.S. population. Precursor terms such as “neurasthenia” and “fibrosi-tis” were used as early as the nineteenth century. The controversy about whether FM is a disorder of the mind or of the body still rages. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for the classification of FM include a history of chronic, widespread body pain and at least 11 of 18 designated tender points on physical examination. Patients with FM often have a variety of nonspecific complaints. As examples, fatigue, paresthesias, irritable bowel complaints, subjective swelling of the hands and feet, sleep disturbances, migraine headaches, and deficits of attention and memory are reported commonly in FM. Exercise is a critical part of therapy for FM.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medicine and Psychiatry, Chronic Pain and Fatique Research Center, University of Michigan, 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Dr., Domino Farms, Lobby M. Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA

    Daniel Clauw

  2. Newton-Wellesley Hospital Newton, Massachusetts, 02462, USA

    Don L. Goldenberg

Authors
  1. Daniel Clauw
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  2. Don L. Goldenberg
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Rheumatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street / Yawkey 2, Boston, MA, 02114

    John H. Stone (Director) (Director)

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© 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

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Clauw, D., Goldenberg, D.L. (2009). Fibromyalgia. In: Stone, J.H. (eds) A Clinician's Pearls and Myths in Rheumatology. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-934-9_33

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-934-9_33

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-84800-933-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-84800-934-9

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