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Common Overlapping Conditions
Fibromyalgia Sufferers Often Have Other Chronic Conditions
There are other conditions that have symptoms which are similar to those of fibromyalgia.
These conditions can often occur together with fibromyalgia. That’s why it’s important to understand that a diagnosis of other conditions does not rule out a fibromyalgia diagnosis. (And, in turn, a diagnosis of fibromyalgia does not rule out other conditions.)
The presence of these overlapping conditions (called comorbidities) can “muddy the waters.” This is yet another reason so many fibromyalgia sufferers struggle to get a diagnosis.
The following chart shows some of the conditions that often co-exist with fibromyalgia. It also shows how often they are reported to occur. Your doctor may want to check for these co-existing conditions in addition to fibromyalgia.
| Condition | Short description | (%) |
| Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) | Abdominal discomfort or pain along with constipation or diarrhea for more than 3 months in the past year | 32–80 |
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| Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) | Frequent facial/jaw pain and/or limitation in jaw opening | 75 |
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| Chronic fatigue syndrome | Unexplained, persistent or on-again, off-again fatigue for more than 6 months | 21–80 |
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| Tension and migraine headache | Frequent headaches lasting more than 30 minutes | 10–80 |
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| Multiple chemical sensitivities | Contact with certain chemicals consistently causes unpleasant symptoms | 33–55 |
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| Interstitial cystitis | At least 8 months of bladder pain, urinary urgency, and frequency (urinating more than 8 times during the day and more than 2 times during the night) | 13–21 |
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| Restless leg syndrome | An often unpleasant urge to move the legs | 32 |
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| Numbness | Persistent tingling and pins and needles (can occur anywhere on the body, especially the hands and feet) | 44 |
