How to Rate the Degree of Fibromyalgia

Understanding the foundation of fibromyalgia will make the healing process a bit easier for new patients. Many components encompass the diagnostic scenario of fibromyalgia but can readily be understood with a small amount of valuable information at your fingertips. The rating scale that determines whether you're inflicted with the fibromyalgia condition is a real lifesaver for many people needing to know whether they have the true condition of fibromyalgia. Exploring the fundamental scale will put your mind and body at ease.

Things You'll Need

• Fibromyalgia definition
• Severity
• Rating scale
• Scale interpretation
• Treatment options

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Instructions

How to Rate the Degree of Fibromyalgia

• 1

  Understand the definition of fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is easily defined as extensive pain throughout many areas of the body. Extreme pressure causes the pain response, which leads to disabling your everyday functions. Numerous nucleus characteristics are prevalent on an individual basis, thus sometimes encompassing, sleep issues, chronic fatigue, stiffness in joints, irritable bowl and anxiety.

• 2

  Rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the least amount of pain and 10 being the highest. Pinpoint where the pain is located for an accurate rating. Stand up and pull your arms up over your head. Touch each trigger point on your body. A quick nudge on those trigger points will determine if there is pain within that particular trigger point area.

• 3

  Test these trigger points monthly for three months for the most accurate diagnosis. Apply firm pressure with thumb over each trigger point to check for instant pain. Devise a score sheet to take to your physician with the exact trigger point locations, and the severity of each trigger point on a scale from 1 to 10. If 11 or more are sensitive to the pressure, it's highly likely that you're experiencing fibromyalgia trigger point pain.

• 4

  Contact with your doctor for further testing. Natural remedies have been successfully used with fibromyalgia. Trigger point injections and anti-depressant medications are another option. Utilizing heating pads and ice packs will temporarily relieve some of the pain associated with the inflammation of trigger points.