Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic syndrome characterized by widespread muscle pain, fatigue and multiple tender points. Most FM patients report that chronic pain and fatigue adversely affect the quality of their life and negatively impact their ability to be competitively employed. Although fibromyalgia is often considered an arthritis-related condition, it is not truly a form of arthritis because it does not cause inflammation or damage to the joints, muscles, or other tissues. Like arthritis, however, fibromyalgia can cause significant pain and fatigue, and it can interfere with a person's ability to carry on daily activities. Also like arthritis, fibromyalgia is considered a rheumatic condition.

The extent of reported disability in fibromyalgia varies greatly from country to country probably reflecting differences in political philosophies and socioeconomic realities. Interestingly less than twenty-five percent of the Social Security Disability awards were specifically for the diagnosis of FM. The majority of patients who considered themselves disabled were receiving disability payments. On the other hand, sixty-six percent of FM patients reported that they could work on all or most days.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition, meaning it last a long time possibly a lifetime. However, it may comfort you to know that fibromyalgia is not a progressive disease. It is never fatal and it won’t cause damage to your joints, muscles or internal organs. Most FM patients cite pain as a major cause for disability. Chronic widespread pain is a common finding. The valid assessment of disability in chronic pain states is notoriously difficult.

Seventy-five of all disability applicants initially will be denied benefits. Half of those denied will give up and not appeal the denial. However, fifty-three percent of the applicants who persevere to a hearing before an Administrative law judge obtain benefits. Most claimants have no idea what they need to prove to win their case. Thus, retaining an attorney who specializes in disability law should substantially increase your odds of winning an appeal.

Disabled pain patients usually link impaired functioning to having persistent pain and cannot conceive of living a normal life as long as they are in pain. Thus they pursue a fruitless search for a cure which is never realized, thus rationalizing their continued disability. In the process they not only remain dysfunctional, but also over-utilize medical care and develop increasing personal distress. Interestingly it is the belief that pain is the major cause of disability that seems to determine the actual degree of dysfunction, rather than the absolute level of pain. These psychosocial and behavioral issues are clearly relevant to some FM patients seeking disability, but should not be generalized. Each patient has to be thoughtfully evaluated according to their unique set of circumstances.