How long does it take to be diagnosed?

There is no specific time that it takes to be diagnosed as having fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia often takes months or years to diagnose, due to the fact that its symptoms can be so similar to the symptoms of other conditions. Fibromyalgia is often diagnosed after other conditions have been ruled out. This may mean that you must undergo numerous tests to exclude other conditions before you are diagnosed.

This is not to say that you must sit idly by. If you think that you might have fibromyalgia, you can ask your primary care physician to refer you to a specialist who is more familiar with fibromyalgia, such as a rheumatologist or a neuologist. These doctors see many patients with fibromyalgia and may diagnose you more quickly.

Thankfully, fibromyalgia is no longer a "catch all" condition. The American College of Rheumatology has established criteria for diagnosis, and an upsurge in research into this baffling condition means that fibromyalgia is being diagnosed more readily and accurately than in the past. It is now viewed as a legitimate condition, where in the past it was often viewed with skepticism. This translates into a quicker diagnosis for people with fibromyalgia.