10 Hidden Health Conditions

Learn how to spot disorders that are virtually symptom-free


woman in pain
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    The anomaly in the group, Fibromyalgia is all about the symptoms—chronic pain from head to toe. The brain amplifies regular bodily sensations and interprets them as pain. But fibromyalgia is hard to diagnose, since there’s no test for the disorder. Doctors reach a diagnosis by excluding other possible diseases, so it can take years to learn what the problem is. “Fortunately, fibromyalgia isn’t life-threatening, but there’s a cost to the lack of productivity and mental toll it takes on a person and her loved ones,” says Dr. Carr. Risk factors include family history of fibromyalgia, having rheumatic disorders or infectious diseases, like Lyme, and a past traumatic event, like a car accident. If you have widespread pain and normal test results for other potential conditions, bring up fibro to your doc as a possibility. 

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