Other conditions with symptoms similar to fibromyalgia

Many conditions are reported either to be associated with fibromyalgia or to share similar symptoms. Because there are so many other conditions with similar symptoms, diagnosing fibromyalgia can be difficult.¹ Some of these disorders include:

• Chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Depression.
• Osteoarthritis.
• Restless legs syndrome.
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).
• Lupus.
• Lyme disease. Some people report having had Lyme disease prior to a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, but a connection between the two conditions has not been established.
• Hypothyroidism (low thyroid level).
• Sleep apnea.
• Temporomandibular disorder (jaw problems).
• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• Interstitial cystitis.

Citations

1. Winfield JB (2006). Fibromyalgia. In DC Dale, DD Federman, eds., ACP Medicine, section 15, chap. 13. New York: WebMD.