Common syndrome with long-term widespread pain and tenderness in joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues.

• A. Osteoarthritis
• B. Fibromyalgia
• C. DJD
• D. Fx

Answer: (B)

Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome defined by long-lasting, widespread pain and tenderness in muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues, affecting multiple areas of the body rather than a single joint. The key features include widespread pain for months, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and often cognitive symptoms, with physical exams showing tenderness at multiple non-articular sites while laboratory tests and imaging are usually normal. This pattern—diffuse, soft-tissue–based pain with normal imaging—sets it apart from degenerative or traumatic conditions. In contrast, osteoarthritis and DJD involve wear-and-tear changes in specific joints, with localized joint pain, stiffness, and imaging evidence of joint degeneration. A fracture presents as acute, focal pain after trauma, with swelling or deformity, rather than a chronic, widespread soft-tissue pain.