Tender Points are a Useful Tool in Discerning Fibromyalgia Syndrome

These tender points are the source of discomfort and pain, and greatly affect a womans health.

If you've looked around my site very much at all, you're sure to have noticed forms where you can submit suggestions for content and/or resources. I also frequently ask people who suffer with problems, such as fibromyalgia, that we talk about here at Natural Health Coach for Women, to share their research with me.

Thankfully, Miryam Ehrlich Williamson's fibromyalgia tender points page (actually her whole site - www.mwilliamson.com) came to my attention because of just such a person (Thank you, Richard. Yes, a guy contributed to this site!)

The graphic and fibromyalgia tender points information below belong to Ms. Williamson and are used with her permission. I encourage you to study these points, write them down, and share them with your health care provider.

These tender places occur symmetrically on both sides of the body:

• A. at the base of the skull beside the spinal column;

• B. at the base of the neck in the back;

• C. on the top of the shoulder toward the back;

• D. on the breastbone;

• E. on the outer edge of the forearm about 2 cm below the elbow;

• F. over the shoulder blade;

• G. at the top of the hip;

• H. on the outside of the hip; and

• I. on the fat pad over the knee.

To get a formal diagnosis of FM, your doctor must find at least 11 of these 18 tender points. However, what is tender on one day may not be on another. Therefore, if you have some number less than 11 but meet the other criteria for FM (widespread pain, muscular stiffness, and difficulty getting restful sleep) you would do well to follow a good regimen for managing FM even though you don't have all the required tender points.

Copyright ©1997, Miryam Ehrlich Williamson - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

To continue learning about what you can do about fibromyalgia, return to the fibromyalgia home page.

Would you like to take another look at the graphic? Use this tender points link.