H.O.P.E. | Fibromalgia - Spectrum of Symptoms

Spectrum of Symptoms
NFA Study Reveals Top Reasons for Discomfort.

The largest online survey of more than 3,000 fibromyalgia patients continues to provide new insights into the disorder. Recent highlighted findings from the Epidemiological Study center on the most common areas of distress and dysfunction as well as the severity of a wide range of symptoms experienced by fibromyalgia patients.

The Epidemiological Study is the first of its kind, giving a "snapshot" of people with fibromyalgia.

Low back pain, recurrent headaches and arthritis were the most common symptoms reported by fibromyalgia patients who participated in the survey. Patients were also asked to rank the severity of these symptoms along a 0-10 scale, with 10 representing the most severe symptom. The top conditions cited were morning stiffness, fatigue and nonrestorative sleep. (See chart below for a complete breakdown of symptoms and severity).

Symptoms reported in 25% or more of FM patients:

Symptom Frequency:

Severity of symptoms (based on a scale of 0-10, with 10 representing the most severe symptom):

Symptom Severity:

A vast majority of the responses from the survey were from the U.S.; 46 responses came from 12 countries outside the U.S. The respondents were predominantly middle-aged Caucasian females, 75 percent of whom had experienced FM symptoms for more than 4 years. Only 3.2 percent of the responders were male. The age range of all responders was between 17 to 77 years old.

About the NFA
The National Fibromyalgia Association is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to develop and execute programs dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with fibromyalgia by increasing the awareness of the public, media, government and medical communities.