On average, it takes five years for a person with fibromyalgia to get an accurate diagnosis. Some people go from doctor to doctor without receiving a medical diagnosis for their fibromyalgia symptoms. Many wonder if their painful symptoms are simply imagined.

There are no scientific measures, such as laboratory tests or X-rays, that "prove" you have fibromyalgia. In the past, millions of fibromyalgia patients were misdiagnosed as having depression, inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid or lupus, chronic myofascial pain, or chronic fatigue syndrome. There are, of course, a few similarities between fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and between fibromyalgia and arthritis. But fibromyalgia is different. It is a distinct condition that needs an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

The American College of Rheumatology has established two criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia:

• Widespread pain lasting at least three months
• At least 11 positive tender points — out of a total possible of 18

Tender points
During your physical exam, your doctor may check specific places on your body for tenderness. The amount of pressure used during this exam is usually just enough to whiten the doctor's fingernail bed. These 18 tender points are a hallmark for fibromyalgia.

Blood tests
While there is no lab test to confirm a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, your doctor may want to rule out other conditions that may have similar symptoms. Blood tests may include:

• Complete blood count
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
• Thyroid function tests

FMS often occurs together with other chronic disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, migraine, and chronic fatigue syndrome.  Thus, your health care provider may order tests to “rule out” or find any other disorders that you may have. Sometimes it takes years before a person is accurately diagnosed.