A Doctor for Fibromyalgia

A doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic medicine maintains or restores health through diagnosis and treatment of health conditions. The title "physician" refers to both a doctor of medicine and doctor of osteopathic medicine in the United States, as the training is almost identical for both degrees. Individuals with fibromyalgia need a physician who is knowledgeable about fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia produces pain, sleep disturbances, fatigue, cognitive disturbances, headaches, stiffness and depressive symptoms.

Family Practice

A family practice physician provides care and health maintenance to individuals of all ages. The family physician possesses knowledge from education and training to treat each member of a family. A family physician acts as the primary care physician for a patient. A primary care physician makes first contact with a person and provides on-going care. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, persons using a primary care provider normally receive more cost-effective, coordinated care.

Internal Medicine

An internal medicine physician treats the whole person with many conditions. Education and training allow an internal medicine physician to treat an adult individual with several illnesses at the same time. Internal medicine physicians may provide primary care as part of their ability to treat the whole person.

Rheumatologist

A rheumatology physician diagnoses and treats people with arthritis and other conditions with joint, muscle, bone and tendon problems. Conditions such as lupus, gout, vasculitis and fibromyalgia fall under the purview of the rheumatologist. Rheumatologists began treating fibromyalgia due to the similarity to arthritic conditions. This specialist possesses knowledge about anti-inflammatory and other medications.

Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists treat people suffering from mental illnesses. Unlike psychologists, a psychiatrist has a medical degree and prescribes medications as treatments for mental health problems. Since fibromyalgia sufferers may display psychiatric or cognitive disorders such as depression, a psychiatrist provides cognitive behavior therapy and drug treatment with anti-depressants and sleep aids. According to Siegfried Kasper, a specialist in fibromyalgia, psychiatrists work effectively in conjunction with other care providers.

Neurologist

Neurologists concentrate on the care of individuals with problems of the brain and spinal cord. Since some individuals with fibromyalgia exhibit headaches and neuropathic pain, neurologists assist in ruling out other causes of these symptoms. The neurologist may determine causes of sleep dysfunction.

Pain Medicine

A physician specializing in pain medicine provides care to individuals suffering pain or discomfort from treatment of disease or due to a disease or condition. Pain medicine specialists possess a background in anesthesiology, neurology or psychiatry. If pain remains managed inadequately by primary care providers, pain specialists offer a wider range of pain treatments.

Board Certification

Board certification indicates that the physician completed in-depth training in a specific area of specialization. Health Grades, an organization that collects data on physicians and other health providers, describes board certification as one indicator of the quality of a physician. Individuals searching for a health-care doctor may use board certification as one value for evaluating the physician. Checking the Board of Medicine in each state regarding disciplinary actions against a physician represents another way to determine quality of a provider. The Health Grade web site also offers detailed information on a physician for a fee of $7.95.