1. Fibromyalgia
According to the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis is quite often mistaken for fibromyalgia, which is actually a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. While both of them share many of the same symptoms such as muscle pain, limited range of motion, and joint stiffness, there are several differences you shouldn’t ignore.
When it comes to fibromyalgia, the pain is all over the body, while arthritis basically tends to be localized to a few joints, says Alexis Colvin, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Feelings of pain can vary greatly, so you should talk to your doctor about what kind of pain you have in order to determine your health condition.