polymyalgia rheumatica

Your choice will be remembered for other online NHS services, such as the NHS App. Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a condition that causes pain, stiffness and inflammation in the muscles around the shoulders, neck and hips. The main symptom is muscle stiffness in the morning that lasts longer than 45 minutes. Diagnosing polymyalgia rheumatica can be difficult because the symptoms are similar to those of many other conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis . These conditions will need to be ruled out before polymyalgia rheumatica is diagnosed. Polymyalgia rheumatica is an age-related condition. Most people diagnosed with it are over 65, and it's very rare in people younger than 50. It's also more common in women than men. A steroid medicine called prednisolone is the main treatment for polymyalgia rheumatica. It's used to help relieve the symptoms. Most people with polymyalgia rheumatica will need a course of steroid treatment that lasts for 12 months to 2 years to prevent their symptoms returning. Up to 1 in 5 people with polymyalgia rheumatica develop a more serious condition called temporal arteritis (also known as giant cell arteritis), where the arteries in the head and neck become inflamed. Unlike polymyalgia rheumatica, temporal arteritis requires immediate medical attention. It can lead to serious problems like stroke or blindness if not treated quickly.