A critical reappraisal of the fibrositis concept.

Physicians could use such terms as "fibrositis" and "the myofascial pain syndrome" simply to describe an easily recognized quality of illness. But the terms are chosen as part of a privileged vocabulary designed to assert a pathophysiologic insight(s). On careful consideration, these insights are tenuous at best. Furthermore, the terms, with their pathophysiologic insights, become labels that may perturb the patient's experience of disease in a fashion that is counterproductive.