Most People Who Meet the Criteria Have Never Been Diagnosed

Most People Who Meet the Criteria Have Never Been Diagnosed

Many people with fibromyalgia wait years for a diagnosis. A new study from the University of Aberdeen shows how large that gap is: 72.6% of people who met the fibromyalgia criteria had never received a diagnosis from a clinician. The study appeared in Arthritis Care & Research (online August 2026) and received wide coverage in September and October.

The Study

The researchers used data from the UK Biobank, a long-running study of more than 500,000 adults in the United Kingdom who were 40 to 69 years old when they joined. Between 2019 and 2020, 332,587 participants completed an online pain questionnaire based on the 2016 fibromyalgia criteria of the American College of Rheumatology.

4,197 people met the criteria. The team then compared those with a diagnosis to those without one, across 27 possible factors in four areas: biological, psychological, social and clinical.

Who Was Less Likely to Be Diagnosed

Eight factors were linked to not having a diagnosis:

• Being male
• Being older
• Having a diagnosis of neuropathy (nerve damage)
• Not having a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome or complex regional pain syndrome
• Shorter pain duration
• Lower scores for overall symptom burden
• Less frequent fatigue

People whose pain had lasted more than five years were more likely to have a diagnosis than people with pain for 3 to 12 months.

Stereotypes May Play a Role

The authors note that several of these factors match stereotypical perceptions of fibromyalgia. The common picture is a woman with severe, long-lasting symptoms and a lot of fatigue. People who fit that picture less well, such as men and older adults, may be less likely to be diagnosed. The authors see this as a possible diagnostic bias that needs more research.

Limits of the Study

• Participants reported both their symptoms and their diagnosis themselves.
• UK Biobank participants are on average healthier and wealthier than the general population.
• Meeting a questionnaire's criteria is not the same as a full clinical assessment. Some people may have another condition that explains their symptoms better.

What This Means for You

If you recognise widespread pain, fatigue, poor sleep and concentration problems in yourself and have never had an explanation, ask your physician about fibromyalgia. That applies to men and older adults too. A diagnosis does not cure anything, but it gives access to treatment and support and often brings recognition.