What is polymyalgia rheumatica?
Q: What is polymyalgia rheumatica?
A: Polymyalgia rheumatica is a syndrome or condition that causes pain in the joints and muscles of the upper body, and can affect normal arm and leg movements.
Q: When do most people with PMR experience pain?
A: Most people with PMR have pain during the morning, although sometimes it can occur in the late afternoon or evening.
Q: What is temporal arteritis?
A: Temporal arteritis is a condition that can occur in about 15% of people with PMR, and involves inflammation of the blood vessels in the head and neck.
Q: Who is most affected by PMR?
A: PMR affects more women than men, and usually occurs in people age fifty and older. It can affect people under age 50, but it is rare.
Q: What is the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) blood test?
A: The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a blood test that measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a test tube, and is used to indicate the presence of inflammation.
Q: What is the drug of choice for treating PMR?
A: The drug of choice for treating PMR is prednisone.
Q: How long do patients typically need to take prednisone for PMR treatment?
A: Treatment duration for PMR is often more than one year, and patients typically need to take prednisone for a prolonged period of time. If there is no dramatic improvement after three days of taking prednisone, the diagnosis should be reconsidered. Sometimes relief of symptoms occurs in just a few hours.
