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Fibromyalgia Health Center

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Health Quiz

Check Your Fibromyalgia Symptoms

How Does Fibromyalgia Affect Your Life?

Fibromyalgia causes you to hurt all over. Fibromyalgia pain can come from painful trigger points, aching muscles, chronic headaches, or neck and back pain. It also can cause fatigue, anxiety, and depression that affect your sleep, your career, or your ability to lead an active life. Take a minute to think about how you have felt over the last six months. Which of these statements describes how fibromyalgia affects your life?

  1. I have deep, sharp, dull, throbbing, or aching pain all over my body that doesn’t go away.
  2. I have difficulty sleeping because of chronic pain.
  3. I am constantly tired and inattentive during daytime hours.
  4. I have widespread, deep muscle pain and stiffness when I wake up.
  5. I have painful trigger points or localized areas of tenderness around joints that hurt when pressed.
  6. My pain is so unbearable that I feel anxious and depressed.
  7. I have searing pain throughout my body that results in forced bed rest, along with loss of activity and income.
  8. I am unable to exercise and be active so I spend a lot of time alone.
  9. I have painful menstrual cramps and pelvic pain.
  10. Chronic fibromyalgia pain has forced me to leave my job.

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on June 16, 2008

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