Information about polymyalgia rheumatica: what it is, getting diagnosed, treatment options and facts patients should know.
www.rheumatology.org
IF you are over 50, EVEN IF you have the 3 cardinal features of Fibromyalgia (widespread pain, intense fatigue, non-restorative sleep), you may have an inflammatory condition called Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR), or even more sinister conditions like Giant Cell Arteritis, occult infections or malignancies.
How to Manage Polymyalgia Rheumatica
www.the-rheumatologist.org|By Mary Beth Nierengarten
Giant Cell Arteritis (Temporal Arteritis): Background, Pathophysiology, Etiology
emedicine.medscape.com
On the other (more sinister) end of the spectrum from PMR sits GCA (also called Temporal Arteritis). Early signs include headaches and jaw claudication.
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a medium and large vasculitis, wherein only glucocorticoids (GC) treatment has been the mainstay of therapy. As many will…
rheumnow.com
GCA patients may need prolonged use of high doses of steroids, which is especially problematic in the older population: infections, metabolic disorders, osteoporosis. Some targeted biologics may “spare” steroid use.