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Fibromyalgia

What Exactly Is Fibromyalgia? A Pain Doctor Explains

Sanjai Sinha, MD
Written by HN Editorial | Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD
Updated on April 7, 2025
Featuring Anita Gupta, DO, MPP, PharmDReviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD | April 7, 2025

To an outsider, a patient with fibromyalgia may appear healthy and “just fine.” There’s no cast or crutches, no marks on the skin, no obvious physical disability. However, they may suffer with a range of debilitating symptoms on a day-to-day basis.

Living with this condition can be challenging. However, building a good relationship with your doctor, seeking a diagnosis, and working together on a treatment plan can make all the difference.

References

American College of Rheumatology. (2023). Fibromyalgia.

Arthritis Foundation. (2021). What is rheumatism?

National Institutes of Health. (2016). Focusing on fibromyalgia.

Office on Women’s Health. (2021). Fibromyalgia.

Overlapping Conditions Alliance. Chronic pain in women: neglect, dismissal and discrimination.

Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. (2008). Understanding fibromyalgia and its related disorders.

U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2021). Fibromyalgia.

Walitt, B, et al. (2015). The prevalence and characteristics of fibromyalgia in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey. PLoS One.

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

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Sanjai Sinha, MD
Reviewed by:
Sanjai Sinha, MD
Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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