The Symptoms And Treatment Of Polymialgia
Polymialgia is a syndrome or condition which affects the musculature of the neck and shoulder area and pelvis muscles with stiffness and aching. There should be no weakness in the affected muscles. Some weakness may be present due to pain only. This syndrome is most likely to occur in the over 50 age group. At present there is not a specific laboratory test for polymialgia, but doctor use a combination of factors like the patient’s symptom history, the findings of the physical exam and blood test that help to identify inflammation markers.
Polymialgia has distinctive symptoms that prevent it being confused with other types of arthritis or pain syndromes like fibromyalgia. The standard medical approach of corticosteroid treatment will also be discussed. Lastly nutritional supplements that may assist the condition will be touched upon.
The most frequent main concern with Polymialgia symptoms are those involving the pain and stiffness in the muscles. The area of the shoulders is most likely to be symptomatic at first and pain can also be found in the upper back, neck region, upper arms, hip area and lower back. The pain is typically on both sides of the body and can swap area very quickly, like from day to day. It is described as a severe pain with an aching nature. Movement of the limbs will make the pain worse but the pain’s origin is not from the joint or bones, it comes from the muscles and where the muscles attach to the bones, the tendon. Like in rheumatoid arthritis stiffness can be a severe issue. This will typically be at its worse in the morning and gradually improving with the day, but aggravated by prolonged inactivity or lack of movement such as sitting and watching TV or lying down when not asleep. The onset of these symptoms can be gradual but it is not uncommon to have a very rapid onset.
The typical medical treatment involves the use of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. The approach of this has been shown to be more beneficial for those suffering from milder symptoms of polymialgia. Usually 2/3rds of people who start on a regime of NSAIDs will discover they have to switch to corticosteroid treatment. Many physicians will choose a drug called prednisone as a common treatment. A starting dosage of this will be anywhere from 5-20mg of prednisone daily.
Nutritional supplements can be a compliment or alternative to medication. There are plenty of supplements that have been shown to be beneficial at helping with anti-inflammation. For example fish oil which is easily purchased at health stores can help ease inflammation. Magnesium is a mineral that also assists in decreasing pain and helping muscle stiffness. Another supplement growing in popularity is a derivative of the Indian spice tumeric, called curcumin which can also break the inflammation cycle. Vitamin E was demonstrated in studies on animals to reverse the inflammation pattern and recent research with arthritis victims showed a big reduction in their pain levels. In combination with Vitamin E, the popular Vitamin C can work wonders and has been widely accepted for its ability to ease inflammation.
If you are looking to ease the symptoms of aching muscles or stiffness that come with polymialgia there are a few options available.Treatment may consist of prednisone which is a common medical drug for the condition or a natural nutritional supplement that helps ease pain and inflammation.
For more expert help about polymyalgia rheumatica causes and what can be done, visit author Peter Alexis’ website which is all about therapy forpmr polymyalgia symptoms.