A diagnosis of fibromyalgia may still be made if a person has less than the 11 of the required
tender points so long as they have widespread pain
and many of the common symptoms
and associated syndromes connected to fibromyalgia, such as sleep disorders and irritable bowel syndrome.
If a patient has some symptoms but does not meet the tender point criterion, a diagnosis of "possible fibromyalgia syndrome" may be assigned.