Fibromyalgia is a complex chronic pain illness recognized by the National Institute of Health and the American College of Rheumatology.

FM experts estimate that about 10 million Americans and approximately 3-6 percent of the population worldwide suffer with FM.

While it is most common in women, the illness strikes men, women and children of all ages and ethnic  backgrounds. For those with severe symptoms, FM can be extremely debilitating and interfere with even routine daily activities. The FM diagnostic criteria, established by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 1990, include a history of widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for a mininmum duration of three months and pain in at least 11 of 18 designated tender points when a specified amount of pressure is applied.

Since people with FM tend to look healthy and conventional tests are typically normal, a physician knowledgeable about the illness is necessary to make a diagnosis.