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Article: Fibromyalgia syndrome: an overview.
- Article from:
- Physical Therapy
- Article date:
- January 1, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 American Physical Therapy Association, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) is a chronic pain disorder of unknown etiology characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches and pains, stiffness, and general fatigue. Frequently misdiagnosed, FS is often confused with myofascial pain syndrome, polymyalgia rheumatica, polymyositis, hypothyroidism, metastatic carcinoma, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, or systemic lupus erythematosus, any of which may occur concomitantly with FS.[1,2] Fibromyalgia syndrome is the third most commonly diagnosed rheumatic disorder (after osteoarthritis and RA). The median age of onset for FS is from 29 to 37 years, whereas the age of medical ...