# Is it possible to have fibro without having trigger point pain?



## Ks-Sunshine (Aug 23, 1999)

When the doc checked me, I didn't feel that much pain with the trigger points. It seems that these areas flare up one at a time mostly. Elbows, knees, neck, upperback. She suspects that I do have fibro and treating me accordingly. Just wondered if it was really possible?


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## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

Hi Ks-Sunshine,I had a similar experience with my doctor years ago, after some research I realized he was doing it wrong, he was about 2 inches off on each of the trigger points. I have 11, but they all seem to be slightly off the norm. If you have any artistic ability (I don't) draw the outline of the body, both front & back, then press around your body,and circle the areas where you found pain & tenderness.If you don't find any that doesn't mean you don't have FM, its been my experience after 10 years that if its strange, defies explanation, and hurts, its probably FM related.Sometimes its easier to tell if it responds to treatment. In my case, when the doc didn't find the right spots he went with his instincts and treated me anyway, I got much better, for a long time with small doses of Elivil, for him that was confirmation that he was on the right track. It was a long time before I could point out his mistake in the test (I didn't want to embarress him) but he got the diagnosis right, that is what counts.Hope my experience has been of some use to you.Good luck with the treatment!


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## Ks-Sunshine (Aug 23, 1999)

Lori Thanks. I appreciate your reply.


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## *Luna* (Nov 19, 2001)

Were you not sensitive in any of the spots? Lori had a good point to make sure he had them right. I don't have any bookmarked right now, unfortunately, but you can usually find a chart of the trigger points on a fibro website.I was so surprised at some of the places I had pain, where I had never noticed I was sensitive...like the point on the collarbone. And the left side was a lot more sensitive than the right. The points on the shoulders are where I have chronic muscle knots, and the points on the neck are where I was so sore when I got a neck massage as part of therapy for my jaw. It HURT when she massaged there, but she assured me it was good that it hurt. I was always sore afterwards. That was before I knew about fibro.My doc didn't test me for all the points. He also isn't a specialist in it. But he thinks I have it. He gave me some articles and other literature so I could learn more about it, and one of them talked about people who don't have enough of the trigger points, but have some. It suggested treating those people as if they have fibro anyhow, and they usually respond better when treated like they have fibro.I don't know if this helps or not, but I hope you find some answers!


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## Mio (Dec 19, 1999)

Hi Sunny,have your doc checked you out for other diseases too? I agree with Luna and LoriAnn, maybe she didnï¿½t do it right...I have been tested by three different specialists in FMS and I had all tender points. I found these sites on the web about tender points: http://www.fibromyalgiasupport.com/library...sis.cfm/ID/2830 http://www.fibromyalgia.com/tender_points.htm http://www.rheumatology.org/research/class...tion/fibro.html /Mio


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## gfinster (Jan 11, 2001)

I was diagnosed with FM without significant pain. All the other symptoms seem to fit. I've been on Neurontin for sleeping disorder and it has helped quite a bit. Couldn't tolerate the Elavil - heart raced at night. I'm currently reading a great book on FM - "America Exhausted" by Dr. Edward Conley. It is a wealth of information. The single most important element that has helped me is to be allergy tested. I was allergic to many food and airborne things. Elimination/avoidance of these things has been a big factor in my improvement. Eliminating food items especially has helped energy levels and almost cured my IBS!


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## celticlady (Aug 6, 2001)

Sunny-there is fibro and there is also chronic myofascial pain,these are often confused and referred to as the same thing,they are not.Is a good book I am reading by Devin Starlanyl re both problems.A lot of people with fibro have CMP and vice versa.Let me know if you are interested in the title of the book.A lot of us have both.and even the MD's mix it up....


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