Polymyalgia rheumatica history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
History and Symptoms
- PMR is typically characterized by pain and morning stiffness in the proximal joints and limbs, including the neck, the shoulder girdle, the pelvic girdle, the lower back, and the thighs. The symptoms last for more than 30 days and involve the body parts symmetrically. The morning stiffness lasts for at approximately 30-45 minutes. The pain is moderate to severe, and may inhibit the activity of the person. These symptoms usually occur in the morning, or after sleeping. The muscle strength is intact, though it may be limited by pain.
- In some patients, there is involvement of the distal parts of the body that can manifest as:
- Peripheral synovitis or arthritis
- Pitting edema
- Hand swelling
- Carpel tunnel syndrome
- Constitutional symptoms can also be present:
- PMR is associated with giant cell arteritis.
Some symptoms of temporal arteritis include severe headaches, scalp tenderness, jaw claudication, fever, distorted vision or aching in the limbs caused by decreased blood flow, and fatigue.