There are many different blood tests that can be conducted to test whether or not a patient has Fibromyalgia. These tests are usually used to rule out other diseases and disorders such as anemia, auto-immune problems, hormonal imbalances and even infections. Any of these disorders can cause symptoms similar to Fibromyalgia.
Some of the more common blood tests used by physicians include:
- Complete Blood Count – Also referred to as a CBC, this is the most common type of blood test administered to a patient to rule out other problems. A CBC count will give physician information about a patients white blood cell count among other things. A high white blood cell count might indicate that the patient has an infection, whereas a low red blood cell count may be an indication of a more serious illness or even anemia.
- C-reactive protein – This test, often called CRP measures whether or not the blood contains CRP which is a protein that is produced by the liver when inflammation is present. If CRP is found additional testing will be necessary to rule out other conditions.
- Antinuclear Antibody – The ANA test can be an indication that the body is reacting to its own nuclear material, suggesting the possibility of among other things and auto-immune disorder.
- Epstein Barr Virus Titer – This test determines whether the Epstein Barr virus is present in the body. This virus can sometimes cause weakness and excessive fatigue.
- Thyroid Function – This test is commonly performed to measure the hormone levels in the body to assess whether or not a hormonal imbalance may be contributing to fatigue.
- HLA-B27 – This test examines whether or not the blood contains HLA antigens, which are commonly found in patients with an inflammatory illness such as rheumatoid arthritis.
