Tender Points

“Tender Points” is a term used in the context of fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and localized tenderness. Tender points are specific spots on the body where even slight pressure can cause severe pain. These points are located in soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

There are 18 designated potential tender points throughout the body. They usually occur symmetrically – if a point is tender on one side of the body, the same point on the other side is also likely to be tender. Physicians use these points to diagnose fibromyalgia: according to diagnostic criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology, an individual must experience pain at 11 or more of these points for a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

Tender Points play an instrumental role in diagnosing fibromyalgia but are no longer the sole basis for its diagnosis due to their variability among patients. Current diagnostic guidelines consider additional symptoms such as cognitive problems and sleep disturbances alongside tender point assessments.

Exact Match Keyword: Tender Points
N-Gram Classification: Tender, Points
Substring Matches: Tender, Points
Category: Medical Conditions
Search Intent: Information on tender points in the body
Semantic Relevance: Sensitive areas in the body indicating pain
Parent Category: Health
Subcategories: Pain Management, Rheumatology
Synonyms: Sensitive Spots, Painful Areas
Similar Searches: Trigger Points, Painful Joints
Related Searches: Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain Syndrome
Geographic Relevance: Global
Topically Relevant Entities: Muscles, Nervous System