Polymyalgia rheumatica causes muscle pain and stiffness in your neck, shoulders and hips. It is most common in women and almost always occurs in people over 50. The main symptom of polymyalgia rheumatica is stiffness after resting. Other symptoms include fever, weakness and weight loss. In some cases, polymyalgia rheumatica develops overnight. In others, it is gradual.
Polymyalgia rheumatica sometimes occurs along with giant cell arteritis, a condition that causes swelling of the arteries in your head. Symptoms include headaches and blurred vision. Doctors often prescribe a medicine called prednisone for both conditions. Polymyalgia rheumatic usually responds to treatment. Without treatment, it usually goes away after a year or more. Untreated, giant cell arteritis carries a small risk of blindness or stroke.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
-
Giant Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/pain/disorders/567.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/pain/disorders/567.printerview.html
-
Questions and Answers about Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis
(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Polymyalgia/default.asp
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/polymyalgia-rheumatica/DS00441/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/polymyalgiarheumatica.asp?aud=pat
- ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate): Sed Rate(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/esr/test.html
- Giant Cell Arteritis(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/giantcellarteritis.asp?aud=pat
- Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/disease-center.php?disease_id=12
-
Vasculitis(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/vas/vas_whatis.html
-
Vasculitis Syndromes of the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/vasculitis/detail_vasculitis.htm
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Polymyalgia Rheumatica(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Polymyalgia+Rheumatica%22
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Temporal Arteritis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Temporal+Arteritis%22
- Article: Polymyalgia rheumatic (PMR): giant cell arteritis (GCA). - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18807817&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Serum interleukin-6 receptor in polymyalgia rheumatica: a potential marker of... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18668607&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Small-vessel vasculitis surrounding an uninflamed temporal artery: a new diagnostic... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18668584&tool=MedlinePlus
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=polymyalgia+rheumatica[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Giant cell arteritis -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=giant+cell+arteritis[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica - http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?v:project=medlineplus&binning-state=group%3d%3dMedical%20Encyclopedia&query=Polymyalgia+Rheumatica
- American College of Rheumatology: Geographic Membership Directory(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/directory/geo.asp
- American College of Rheumatology - http://www.rheumatology.org/
-
Arthritis Foundation - http://www.arthritis.org/
Also available in Spanish http://www.arthritis.org/espanol/
-
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_En_Espanol/
- Vasculitis - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vasculitis.html
- Bones, Joints and Muscles - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonesjointsandmuscles.html
- Skin, Hair and Nails - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/skinhairandnails.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Polymyalgia Rheumatica is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/