Fibromyalgia, a Gulf War Presumptive, Often Missed in Men Says Mayo Clinic Study

Fibromyalgia, a health condition with chronic widespread pain at its core, is a presumptive condition for the purposes of VA service-connection for veterans who served in the Persian Gulf (Southwest theater of operations) between August 2, 1990 and the present.

For veterans beginning VA disability claims, remember that going through the VA claims process without an accredited service officer is like going through a complex court case without a lawyer.

Accredited service officers are available from veterans service organizations (VSOs), state veterans agencies (see NASDVA) and, in about half the states, County Veterans Service Officers (CVSOs).


VA disability due to fibromyalgia can be claimed by including VA Form 21-0960C-7 - Fibromyalgia Disability Benefits Questionnaire (Fillable) and substantiating medical evidence with the VA claim. 

Related conditions may include Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and others.  A review of your medical conditions and records with an accredited service officers can help you to decide what specifically to claim and how to justifiably claim it.   

-A.H.

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Source:  HealthDay
http://news.health.com/2012/12/27/fibromyalgia-diagnosis-often-missed-in-men-study/

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Fibromyalgia Diagnosis Often Missed in Men: Study

December 27, 2012

THURSDAY, Dec. 27 (HealthDay News) — Many people with fibromyalgia, especially men, go undiagnosed, according to a new study.

Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes symptoms such as pain and tenderness, fatigue, and sleep and memory problems. Many of these symptoms can overlap or be mistaken for other conditions, the Mayo Clinic researchers noted.

They examined data from people in Olmsted County, Minn., and estimated that 6.4 percent of people aged 21 and older had fibromyalgia but only 1.1 percent of them had been diagnosed with the condition.

The researchers also found that 20 times more men had fibromyalgia symptoms than had been diagnosed, while three times more women had fibromyalgia symptoms than had been diagnosed.

The study was published online Nov. 30 in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.

More research is needed to determine why many people with fibromyalgia, particularly men, go undiagnosed, said lead author Dr. Ann Vincent, medical director of the Mayo Clinic’s Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Clinic.

“Health care providers may not think of this diagnosis when face to face with a male patient with musculoskeletal pain and fatigue,” she said in a clinic news release. “These findings need to be explored further.”

There is no diagnostic test to determine if a person has fibromyalgia. Although there is no cure for the condition, there are effective treatments. Research has shown that diagnosing people with fibromyalgia — which is far more common in women than in men — reduces health care costs because they need fewer tests and referrals to determine the cause of their symptoms.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases has more about fibromyalgia.