A cost-effective approach to the diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia

The diagnosis of teh myalgic patient can prove to be challenging for even the most experienced of clinicians. The differential diagnosis includes many diseases that often present with weakness as well as pain. The diagnosis of fibromyalgia may now be made using the positive features of the patient's illness and classified according to well-defined criteria. The process is facilitated by the demonstration of FTPs that are quite specific for the condition. The elicitation of tenderness over these points is highly reliable and valid owing to high intrarater and interrater agreements observed in multiple studies. An algorithmic approach to differential diagnosis is presented. In addition, a stepwise approach to treatment based on published studies and geared to functional outcome measures in put forward in an attempt to encourage a cost-effective approach to care of these difficult patients.