Differential Diagnosis for Generalized Body Ache
Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Fibromyalgia: A common condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tender points. It's often considered first due to its prevalence and the broad nature of the symptom.
Other Likely Diagnoses
- Viral Infections (e.g., Flu): Many viral infections can cause generalized body aches, making them a common cause of this symptom.
- Hypothyroidism: This condition can lead to muscle aches, fatigue, and joint pain, among other symptoms.
- Anemia: Lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin can cause fatigue, weakness, and body aches.
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Characterized by extreme fatigue that cannot be explained by any underlying medical condition, often accompanied by body aches.
Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Lymphoma: Although less common, lymphoma can present with generalized body aches, among other systemic symptoms like fever and weight loss.
- Multiple Myeloma: A type of blood cancer that can cause bone pain, fatigue, and other systemic symptoms.
- Endocarditis: An infection of the heart valves, which can present with systemic symptoms including body aches.
- Osteomyelitis: A bone infection that can cause severe pain and other systemic symptoms.
Rare Diagnoses
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica: An inflammatory condition that causes muscle pain and stiffness, typically in the shoulders and hips.
- Polymyositis: An inflammatory muscle disease that leads to muscle weakness and pain.
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: A group of disorders that affect connective tissues supporting the skin, bones, blood vessels, and many other organs and tissues, which can cause widespread pain.
- Mitochondrial Myopathies: A group of disorders caused by dysfunctional mitochondria, leading to muscle weakness and pain, among other symptoms.