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Fibromyalgia affects the muscles and soft tissue in your body.

No one knows yet what causes fibromyalgia. Anyone can get it, but it is most common in middle-aged women. People with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases are particularly likely to develop fibromyalgia. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but medicines can help you manage your symptoms. Getting enough sleep and exercising may also help. A better understanding of your symptoms can be a big help in managing this condition:

Mayoclinic.com: Fibromyalgia symptoms or not? Understand the fibromyalgia diagnosis process

Getting a definitive diagnosis of fibromyalgia can be difficult and take a very long time, and misdiagnosis is not uncommon. So you may want to ask for a second (or third) medical opinion:

Do You Need a Second Opinion? - About.com: Adrienne Dellwo's Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Blog -- Do You Need a Second Opinion?

Questions you may want to ask your doctor when you've just been diagnosed:

Fibromyalgia-symptoms.org: Top Ten Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Getting a diagnosis of fibromyalgia can raise many emotions, among them frustration, anger, sadness, and anxiety about the future. It's important to take time to pay attention these feelings and find support to help you now:

Fibro360.com: Life After Diagnosis

Breaking the news to those closest to you that you have fibromyalgia isn't always easy, but it helps to offer them resources where they can learn more about the condition. Helping others to understand the inconsistent nature of fibromyalgia make it easier for them to appreciate the difficulties you're facing and support you on your good and bad days:

About.com: Understanding Fibromyalgia - Fibromyalgia Simplified

Fibromyalgia Myths

Since relatively little is understood about fibromyalgia, it's not surprising that there are plenty of misconceptions out there. Read this Mayoclinic.com guide to 9 common myths and get the truth about each:

Fibromyalgia Myths: The truth about 9 common myths

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