College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) Practice Exam

Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, and one of its hallmark features is significant sleep disturbances. Individuals with fibromyalgia often experience non-restorative sleep, disrupted sleep patterns, and various sleep disorders, all of which contribute to their overall fatigue and pain sensitivity. The sleep disturbances in fibromyalgia are not commonly associated with rheumatic conditions, which more frequently present with other systemic symptoms or inflammatory processes.

Localized pain may occur in both fibromyalgia and rheumatic conditions, as these patients can experience pain in specific areas. Joint swelling is typically a sign of inflammatory processes associated with rheumatic diseases and is generally not a feature of fibromyalgia, which refers to pain without inflammation. Similarly, fever and weight loss are more typical of inflammatory rheumatic diseases rather than fibromyalgia, where such symptoms are not prevalent. Therefore, sleep disturbances stand out as a unique feature of fibromyalgia compared to typical rheumatic conditions.