6 Reasons Why It's Harder for Men to Be Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia

Symptoms of fibromyalgia in men may be different from women. Although it may not be widespread as it is in women, it is milder and can last for a shorter period of time. However, the pain can still be mild to severe and can be just as crippling. Symptoms may include pain and tenderness, fatigue, morning stiffness, brain fog, depression, and irritable bowel syndrome. If these symptoms last for three months and have no known medical cause, then the person may have the disease.

In February 2012, a medical clinical research journal, Psicothema, was published regarding how men and women responded to the symptoms of fibromyalgia. The research showed that women were more sensitive to pain than men. While the women described the pain as catastrophic, men, on the other hand, described it as something that causes them to be unable to sleep. The research concluded that healthcare providers should approach pain control differently, especially for women.