What kind of doctor should you get for fibromyalgia?

Are you trying to find the right doctor to manage your fibromyalgia in Orlando and Central Florida? Are you tired of the run around and want to find someone who can help you? You are probably experiencing enough pain and various other symptoms to add to the problem. Having the right doctor on your side can make a big difference.

What it takes to reach a diagnosis of fibromyalgia

Before a diagnosis of fibromyalgia there is often a period of uncertainty, stress, and frustration. It may take years, many clinic visits, and lots of testing to receive a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, if it is given. Does this sound familiar?

The problem is that physicians may misdiagnose fibromyalgia or not diagnose it at all. This can happen because physicians may lack the proper knowledge to recognize and diagnose fibromyalgia. Some may even be reluctant to assign such a diagnosis, because they don’t think it exists or because they may think that you don’t fit into that diagnosis.

On the other hand, maybe you received a diagnosis right away, but you feel that there is something else going on that has not been identified. Some providers may overdiagnose fibromyalgia and overlook other possible problems.

This does not mean that you are seeing bad doctors; it means that fibromyalgia is a complex condition that usually overlaps with other chronic conditions and those uncertainties in diagnosis and management are a consequence of that complexity. Yet, you still need a timely but accurate diagnosis.

What conditions can be confused with fibromyalgia?

Other conditions can have similar symptoms to fibromyalgia including rheumatologic, neurologic, and mental health conditions. Some examples include rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthritis in the early stages, thyroid disorders, vitamin deficiencies, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, myofascial pain syndrome, spinal stenosis, and Ehlers Danlos syndrome / hypermobility syndromes, among others.

To complicate it further, some of these conditions may occur together with fibromyalgia!

How can your doctor help you navigate fibromyalgia?

Have you been fighting the healthcare system in your fibromyalgia journey? Have you felt exhausted finding ways to navigate the system, jumping through the hoops to find the care you need?  Once you find an experienced doctor, would you like to stay with the same doctor?

It can be stressful to have a disease. Patient burnout and struggles in decision-making are real. Simply finding a specialist can be difficult. You may need to wait weeks or months to get a 10-minute appointment. Add to this the hassles of preauthorization and not knowing how much you are going to pay for a visit. And if you do find a doctor who you really trust, eventually they might stop being in your network and you may have your referrals denied. This must come to an end!  Sometimes you just need to pursue what’s best for you and this may mean getting a provider who is out of the hamster’s wheel.

To help you navigate fibromyalgia, you need someone who is willing to listen to your goals and help you build a plan towards achieving such goals. You may have goals of pain relief, better mobility, confirming your diagnosis, addressing associated conditions, or just improving your quality of life. Maybe you need a letter of medical necessity for ergonomic equipment so you can be able to work, workplace accommodations, or a myofascial release session. You need a healthcare provider to help you meet your needs and expectations, while following the best practices.

Your doctor needs to understand how fibromyalgia is diagnosed

Unfortunately, not all physicians have a thorough knowledge of how to diagnose fibromyalgia. In a survey, half of physicians did not follow the fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria (an outline that sets the standards for everyone to see if a patient meets the requirements for a condition).

Not knowing or not following the diagnostic criteria can lead to delayed, missed, or incorrect diagnoses. But there is a reason why; following the diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia might not be so straight forward. Over the last 3 or 4 decades, the fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria have been reviewed and modified a few times and are still controversial.

The diagnosis of fibromyalgia calls for a personalized approach that identifies pain, non-painful symptoms, and the presence of other conditions that may contribute to or explain the full clinical picture.

Which doctor is best for fibromyalgia?

People with fibromyalgia are looking for a doctor who validates their symptoms and believes they are in pain.

Ideally this should not be one-man show, because these problems are better handled by a team, in collaboration with your primary care provider and different specialists (like a physiatrist, rheumatologist, and/or neurologist). However, you don’t want to be running from clinic to clinic!

A physiatrist is uniquely positioned to direct the orchestra because as physical rehabilitation doctors we have experience with a wide range of conditions affecting the nerves, muscles, tendons, bones, and joints, and consider function and the psychosocial context.

After all, this is about who is best for you. The treatment of fibromyalgia is highly variable among physicians. Some will focus on exercise, or on medication, while others may focus solely on psychotherapy. A comprehensive and holistic approach is more desirable for better results.   But using different approaches is not necessarily a problem if management is based on your particular needs. You can always have a conversation with your doctor and ask what approach makes sense for you.

If you are still wondering…

What doctor should I choose for fibromyalgia?

Consider the following qualities and skills. You might need someone who:

References inserted as links within the text.

Looking for a physiatrist in Orlando, Central Florida to help you confirm or navigate fibromyalgia?