Which disorder causes muscle pain and fatigue, with tender points on the body that hurt when pressed?

Which disorder causes muscle pain and fatigue, with tender points on the body that hurt when pressed?

• A. Gout
• B. Fibromyalgia
• C. Infectious arthritis
• D. Rheumatoid arthritis

Answer: (B)

The key idea is a syndrome of widespread muscle pain with fatigue and tender points that hurt when pressed. This combination is classic for fibromyalgia. In fibromyalgia, people experience widespread pain and exhaustion, and there are specific sites on the body that become painfully tender with light pressure. Importantly, there is little to no joint inflammation, and inflammatory lab tests are usually normal, which helps distinguish it from other joint diseases.

Gout causes sudden, intense joint pain with swelling and redness, often in one joint like the big toe, and is due to uric acid crystals. Infectious arthritis presents with an acutely painful, hot, swollen joint along with fever and systemic signs of infection. Rheumatoid arthritis involves autoimmune inflammation with persistent joint swelling, morning stiffness, and elevated inflammatory markers, often affecting multiple joints symmetrically.