Choosing a Physician to Treat Fibromyalgia

By Kristi Patrice Carter

Choosing a doctor when you have Fibromyalgia can be as daunting a process as enduring the sickness. While generally recognized as an illness, many doctors shun delving into diagnosis or treatment because there is no known cause or cure. Doctors like finite problems with specific treatments and diagnosing an illness or prescribing a treatment that they do not understand goes against most of their instincts.

This is understandable, but nonetheless, you still have to find someone to help you back to wellness. The first thing you should consider is if a doctor tends to look at Fibromyalgia treatment from a positive approach. You should investigate if there are any doctors that specialize in this area locally. Contacting your local hospital and talking to their public relations or community outreach director can help you learn valuable advice based on their expertise and experience working with many doctors. 

Another source of information is to find your closest Fibromyalgia support network, which are usually listed at your local doctor’s office or hospital as well as through many town, city, or state community resources. These groups can give you practical advice regarding who to contact and who to avoid. While most doctors now recognize Fibromyalgia as a legitimate illness, they frequently know little or nothing about it as it does not fall under any specific disease category. So, the advice you glean from a help group will allow you to assess who is a knowledgeable doctor and who struggles with treatment as well.

The easiest way to get a good doctor for treating Fibromyalgia is to ask your existing physician. If you have a good relationship with your doctor, you can ask their office to work with you and develop knowledge of the disease and its treatment. At the very least, they will probably be able to give you a reference for a doctor that specializes or at least is familiar with Fibromyalgia.

Since Fibromyalgia is very similar in symptoms to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, you also should seek a physician, support group, family friends, or co-workers who suffer from that disease and ask them for advice on whom to contact. Frequently Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers end up visiting doctors who treat the other or both. They also will give you first hand knowledge of who is likely to be up on treatment options.

Another option for locating a physician that treats Fibromyalgia is to contact the American Medical Association (AMA) or the American Board of Medical Specialties. These groups will either have listings in your area or can point you in the right direction as to who to contact. Additionally, they also can verify a physician’s background when you choose a doctor. 

Finally, if everything else strikes out, check at your local natural food co-op. Often, people with diseases such as chronic fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Crohn’s or Lyme disease, frequent these co-ops. This is because they are diseases that often require people to drastically alter their diets, and they frequently shop at organic groceries to meet those new requirements. They also generally will share experiences and many doctors, both holistic and traditional, will advertise on community bulletin boards usually located in these types of establishments.