Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

The most relevant finding is the detection of a pathologically low pain threshold for different stimuli, although in clinical practice mechanical stimulation is used through the testing and quantification of tender points. In many patients, simple palpation of the skin can identify painful areas (allodynia), especially when something rubs against the skin (dynamically), which the patient reports as a burning sensation and is commonly observed in the region of the trapezius muscle and the upper arms.

The pain is often triggered in either the neck or lumbar region when stretching to the side. Most patients suffer limited mobility due to joint pain, for example in the shoulders, hips or spine, coupled with cutaneous hyperaemia (increased blood flow to an organ or area), the presence of fibrocystic nodules (muscle nodules with a fatty component) or positive skin rolling, reticular skin discolouration similar to livedo reticularis, joint hypermobility and changes like those seen in Raynaud’s phenomenon.