* Pain - The pain of FMS has no boundaries. The pain goes from a deep muscular aching and throbbing, to shooting and stabbing. Intense burning may also be present. Quite often, the pain and stiffness are worse in the morning and you may hurt more in muscle groups that are used repetitively. It can feel like the top layer of your skin has been removed.

* Fatigue - This symptom can be mild in some patients and yet incapacitating in others. The fatigue has been described as "brain fatigue" in which patients feel totally drained of all energy. Many patients depict this situation by saying that they feel as though their arms and legs are tied to concrete blocks, and they have difficulty concentrating, e.g., brain fog.

* Sleep disorders - Most FM patients have an associated sleep disorder called the alpha-EEG anomaly. This condition was uncovered in a sleep lab with the aid of a machine which recorded the brain waves of patients during sleep. Researchers found that most FM patients could fall asleep without much trouble, but their deep level (or stage 4) sleep was constantly interrupted by bursts of awake-like brain activity. Patients appeared to spend the night with one foot in sleep and the other one out of it.

* Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Constipation, diarrhea, frequent abdominal pain, abdominal gas, and nausea represent symptoms frequently found in roughly 40 to 70% of FM patients. Acid reflux or gastroesophogeal reflux disease (GRED) also occurs with the same high frequency.

* Chronic headaches - Recurrent migraine or tension-type headaches are seen in about 70% of FMS patients and can pose a major problem in coping for these people.

* Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome - This syndrome, referred to as TMJ or TMD, causes tremendous jaw-related face and head pain in one quarter of FM patients. However, a 1997 published report indicated that close to 75% of FM patients have a varying degree of jaw discomfort. Typically, the problems are related to the muscles and ligaments surrounding the jaw joint and not necessarily the joint itself.

* Numbness - Many FM patients report a tingling sensation in fingers, hands or feet.

* Sensitivity - Loud noises, bright colors, bright light, odors, various foods, medicines, and weather changes effect 70% of FM patients.

* Menstrual Periods - Are painful, and there is the possiblity of painful sexual intercourse for FM patients.

* Bladder Problems - Including frequent urination, strong urges to urinate, painful urination occur in 70% of FM patients.

* Chest Pain - 50-80% of FM patients report rapid or irregular heart rate and shortness of breath.

* Sensation of Swelling - In the hands or feet even if swelling isn't present.

* Anxiety - And/or panic attacks.

* Depression

* Cognitive Impairments - Inability to concentrate - feeling of brain fog