Replaced with constant pain and fatigue. Here's the lowdown on fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is one of the most common forms of arthritis seen in a rheumatology practice. It is actually a soft tissue form of rheumatism. Typically, a patient will complain of feeling achy all over, being chronically tired, and feeling like they're walking around in a constant fog. Often a patient will complain of short term memory problems.
The American College of Rheumatology has set criteria by which fibromyalgia symptoms can be classified. These consist of a history of widespread pain for three or more months and pain in 11 of 18 tender point sites when 4 kilograms (about 9 pounds) of pressure is applied. When accompanied by a history of chronic fatigue and non-restorative sleep (waking up and feeling as if you haven't slept), there is a strong suspicion that fibromyalgia is to blame. People affected by fibromyalgia experience two unique responses to stimuli.