Key questions to ask about fibromyalgia

If you have fibromyalgia, it’s important to understand your options for treatment. Learning about your healthcare provider’s (HCP’s) qualifications and approach can help you decide what to do. With that in mind, here's a list of key questions to ask your HCP.

• What is fibromyalgia? How do you describe fibromyalgia to your patients?
• How many fibromyalgia patients have you treated? How many do you currently treat?
• Do you feel confident diagnosing fibromyalgia and treating fibromyalgia?
• What pain medications do you commonly prescribe to people with fibromyalgia?
• What fibromyalgia treatments have you recommended for sleep problems, depression, and other coexisting conditions?
• How do you feel about prescribing alternative treatments in addition to medications for fibromyalgia? Which ones do you often recommend for fibromyalgia?
• Do you think physical therapy might be helpful for treating my fibromyalgia?
• What other health care professionals might be involved in treatment?
• What steps can I take at home to support my fibromyalgia treatment?
• If I have questions about my fibromyalgia symptoms or medications between appointments, what should I do?

It’s also a good idea to ask about supporting staff, hours and locations, and what types of insurance the HCP’s office accepts.

Although fibromyalgia researchers are working hard to learn about the physical and neurological mechanisms behind the condition, it’s still not clearly understood. So, tailoring the right path for treatment is often a trial-and-error process. That makes it important to choose the best fibromyalgia HCP for you. Together, you can make an ongoing commitment to creating, monitoring, and modifying your fibromyalgia treatment.