Fibromyalgia

Difference Between Fibromyalgia and MS

Difference Between Fibromyalgia and MS

MS can permanently damage your nerves. Fibromyalgia causes pain and stiffness all over your body, along with other symptoms. Doctors aren't sure what triggers it. They think it might have something to do with how your brain processes pain.

  1. Can MS be mistaken for fibromyalgia?
  2. How can you tell the difference between MS and fibromyalgia?
  3. What does MS feel like in legs?
  4. How can I test myself for fibromyalgia?
  5. Does fibromyalgia show up on MRI?
  6. What is the new name for fibromyalgia?
  7. When should you suspect multiple sclerosis?
  8. Which is worse MS or fibromyalgia?
  9. Does fibromyalgia worsen with age?
  10. What mimics multiple sclerosis?
  11. Can you have MS for years and not know it?
  12. What happens with untreated MS?

Can MS be mistaken for fibromyalgia?

But despite some similarities, “for the most part, there is no mistaking symptoms of MS with fibromyalgia,” says Philip Cohen, MD, a rheumatologist, professor of medicine and professor of microbiology and immunology at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia.

How can you tell the difference between MS and fibromyalgia?

The main difference seems to be that lesions are found in the brains of MS patients, whereas those diagnosed with fibromyalgia don't have lesions. This article also points out that MS is an autoimmune disease while fibromyalgia is not.

What does MS feel like in legs?

Numbness & Tingling: It usually affects your legs. You might feel: An electric shock-like feeling when you move your head or neck. It may travel down your spine or into your arms or legs.

How can I test myself for fibromyalgia?

No lab test or imaging scan can detect fibromyalgia. Your healthcare provider may use these tests to help rule out other possible causes of your chronic pain. Fibromyalgia can be hard for healthcare providers to distinguish from autoimmune diseases because the symptoms often overlap.

Does fibromyalgia show up on MRI?

While more research is still needed, this discovery is exciting news for fibromyalgia sufferers. It means that an MRI may help both with diagnosing fibromyalgia, as well as the identification of the individual patient's unique subtype of the syndrome.

What is the new name for fibromyalgia?

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a serious, long-term illness that affects many body systems.

When should you suspect multiple sclerosis?

People should consider the diagnosis of MS if they have one or more of these symptoms: vision loss in one or both eyes. acute paralysis in the legs or along one side of the body. acute numbness and tingling in a limb.

Which is worse MS or fibromyalgia?

It affects the brain and spinal cord, and it often gets worse over time. MS can permanently damage your nerves. Fibromyalgia causes pain and stiffness all over your body, along with other symptoms.

Does fibromyalgia worsen with age?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that is often a lifelong condition. But fibromyalgia is not a progressive disease, meaning it will not get worse over time.

What mimics multiple sclerosis?

These include fibromyalgia and vitamin B12 deficiency, muscular dystrophy (MD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), migraine, hypo-thyroidism, hypertension, Beçhets, Arnold-Chiari deformity, and mitochondrial disorders, although your neurologist can usually rule them out quite easily.

Can you have MS for years and not know it?

Although diagnosis and outlook for benign MS are unclear, there are a few things to keep in mind: Mild symptoms at the time of diagnosis don't necessarily indicate a benign course of the disease. Benign MS can't be identified at the time of initial diagnosis; it can take as long as 15 years to diagnose.

What happens with untreated MS?

And if left untreated, MS can result in more nerve damage and an increase in symptoms. Starting treatment soon after you're diagnosed and sticking with it may also help delay the potential progression from relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) to secondary-progressive MS (SPMS).

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