Fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis, or MS, present as two distinct conditions in origin and the disease process. In order to obtain a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, other diseases and conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome and major depression, must be ruled out. An MRI, along with other tests, can confirm the diagnosis of MS.
Disease or Condition Characteristics
Fibromyalgia, a condition of unknown origin, causes chronic pain throughout the body with tender points in the soft tissue, which includes the joints, tendons and muscles. Symptoms associated with fibromyalgia include morning stiffness, headaches, anxiety, fatigue and numbness in the hands and feet, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Multiple sclerosis is defined by UMMC as a complex disease of the central nervous system that is an immune-mediated disease. The immune system protects the body from foreign body invasion. In diseases such as MS, it recognizes the tissue within the central nervous system as "foreign" and attacks the tissue causing, damage and inflammation. Symptoms consistent with MS include visual changes such as double vision, stiffness in muscles, weakness, difficulty walking and fatigue.
Treatment and Drug Options
With no known cure for fibromyalgia, treatment goals focus on symptom control. Medications include analgesics such as acetaminophen, tramadol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; antidepressants such as fluoxetine, amitriptyline for sleep, duloxetine for pain and fatigue, and milnacipran for overall symptoms. Other treatment options include physical therapy and counseling.
As with fibromyalgia, there is no known cure for MS, and the focus of treatment is symptom management. Medications for MS differ, however, and include corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, interferons to slow the rate of symptom progression, glatiramer, natalizumab and mitoxantrone to target the immune system. Physical therapy and plasma exchange, or plasmapheresis, are options as MS advances.
Risk Factors and Prevalence
People at risk for developing fibromyalgia include those with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis, and women with a family history of fibromyalgia. According to 2009 information from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, fibromyalgia affects about five million Americans older than 18, and 80 to 90 percent of people diagnosed are women.
MS, on the other hand, affects about 250,000 to 350,000 people in the United States, according to 2010 information from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. People most at risk are between the ages of 20 and 40, with women affected at about twice the rate of men. There are only a few cases of MS diagnosed prior to age 15 or later than age 60, reports the NINDS.
