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What is the American College of Rheumatology’s definition of Fibromyalgia?

According to the definition of Fibromyalgia by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), Fibromyalgia is defined as a disorder in patients as “widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for a minimum duration of 3 months and at least 11 of the 18 specified tender points which cluster around the neck, shoulder, chest, hip, knee and elbow regions with development of other clinically documented over time”. Possible symptoms include (IBS, chronic headaches, TMJ, dysfunction, sleep disorder, severe fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction).

With reference to the American College of Rheumatology standards for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia as under the ACR guidelines, are as follows:

  1. The patient had a history of widespread pain which includes pain on the right and left sides of the body. 
  2. The patient had pain above and below the waist?
  3. The patient had pain (meaning a force of 4 kilograms on the tender point is “painful” and not simply “tender”) in at least 11 of 18 tender point sites on digital palpation.
  4. The patient’s pain had been documented as “tender” and the medications the patient is on for fibromyalgia would reasonably be expected to reduce “pain” in these tender areas.
  5. It was thought that should the patient should not be taken be taken off said medications.

The intended effects of the medication or side effects would interfere with the patient’s ability to maintain attention, concentration or focus for 8 hours of an 8 hour day.