Difference Between Fibromyalgia & Rheumatoid Arthritis

While the diseases share similar effects, there are a number of differences between fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. The exact causes of fibromyalgia are still not fully understood by physicians. However, rheumatoid arthritis is caused by an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system attacks itself.

Features

• Fibromyalgia is pain in the muscle and connective tissue throughout the body, while rheumatoid arthritis attacks the joints themselves, most predominantly in the limbs.

Side Effects

• Side effects of fibromyalgia include fatigue, sleeplessness and numbness. Rheumatoid arthritis can lead to the inflammation of skin tissue and an individual's lungs.

Prevalence

• According to the American College of Rheumatology, an estimated 2 to 4 percent of the population is affected by fibromyalgia, twice the number of those afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis.

Diagnosis

• While rheumatoid arthritis can be diagnosed using blood tests or X-rays, fibromyalgia cannot. Identification of fibromyalgia is controversial within the medical community. The Center for Research on Pain at McGill University points out that many doctors look for psychological reasons for a diagnosis.

History

• Rheumatoid arthritis was identified in 1800 by Dr. Augustin Jacob Landre-Beauvais, according to the Arthritis Clinical Intervention Program. It wasn't until 1981 that Mohammed Yunus identified the condition that became known as fibromyalgia.