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Understanding Polymyalgia Rheumatica Symptoms

By: Cory PoncianoArthritis is a common ailment that more than 50 million American's suffer from. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis some more common than others. Polymyalgia Rheumatica is a rarer form of arthritis that affects the muscles rather than the bones.Polymyalgia does not affect the joints or bones but instead it causes the muscles to become sore, tender, and stiff with inflammation. This type of arthritis affects hips, thighs, lower back, shoulders, and the neck muscles. The pain is caused because the blood vessels in the muscles become swollen.Symptoms include severe stiffness and pain in the muscles but there is no weakness just pain. The pain is located in thighs, hips, lower back, shoulders, and neck. You may experience low energy, fatigue, sweating at night, slight fever, and loss of appetite. Anemia is also common as is depression. Women suffer more often than men with it but both can develop it and it often materializes after the age of 50. Giant cell arthritis is a condition that is often associated with polymyalgia rheumatica. The temporal arteries in the front side of the head begin to narrow and can become blocked and result in lost vision. It affects both men and women generally over the age of 50.Warning signs of giant cell arthritis include skin around the forehead becoming tender, swollen blood vessels on the side of the head, blurred vision or blind spots, and pain in the jaw when chewing.There are other symptoms that can be present and if you believe you suffer from polymyalgia rheumatica you should see your doctor who can assist you with treatments that can help reduce inflammation and pain.What causes this disease is not really understood. In some cases other family members have suffered but not always. Genetics may play a role but it's not the only element.If your doctor believes you have this disease he or she will refer you to a rheumatologist who specializes in diagnosing such conditions. An EMG test may be performed which uses an electric current that is passed through your muscles. The main treatment relates to pain reduction because this disease usually goes away on its own.NSAIDs are commonly used to reduce swelling and pain. At low dosages they reduce pain and at higher dosages inflammation. High dosages can cause stomach problems, ulcers, and bleeding so use caution.Another option is oral cortisone which is a steroid which can reduce inflammation. Cortisone is a natural hormone produced by the body and Corticosteroids are man made and are very similar to cortisone. Prednisone is one of these drugs that can be used but because of the serious side effects it is important to reach a maintenance dose as quickly as possible.Exercise is also important to the overall treatment. It will help reduce pain and it will stop muscles from becoming weak. There are three different types of exercise you should do - strengthening exercises, range of motion exercises, and endurance exercises.Apply hot and cold compresses to relax the muscles and reduce pain. You can repeat this treatment as often as necessary. Your heat treatment can be a heating pad, a hot bath or shower, or a hot water bottle. Your cold treatment should be an ice pack.Lastly be nice to your body. Avoid tasks that are too strenuous for you. After doing heavy work or repetitive tasks rest. Learn to lift correctly and use your back, arms, and legs as a group. Maintain a healthy weight. By loosing those extra pounds you will reduce the stress on your joints.You can protect your joints by not overworking them and pacing yourself. Relax the muscles, reduce inflammation, and take care of the pain. A better understanding of polymyalgia rheumatica will help you learn to live with it better.Cory works has been a working for pharmaceutical company for more than 10 years. Cory Ponciano has researched and studies about arthritis and has compiled his work on his website at www.arthritiscontain.com . He has made this information open to public to understand and learn about arthritis

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