polymyalgia rheumatica

Learn About Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Arthritis information and treatment is something that you might need to look into if you think that you have it. You can tell by the many symptoms if arthritis is something that you have or not, and also by reading more about polymyalgia rheumatica.

Arthritis is a common ailment that more than 50 million American's suffer from. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis some more common than others. Polymyalgia Rheumatica is a rarer form of arthritis that affects the muscles rather than the bones.

Polymyalgia does not affect the joints or bones but instead it causes the muscles to become sore, tender, and stiff with inflammation. This type of arthritis affects hips, thighs, lower back, shoulders, and the neck muscles. The pain is caused because the blood vessels in the muscles become swollen.

Symptoms include severe stiffness and pain in the muscles but there is no weakness just pain. The pain is located in thighs, hips, lower back, shoulders, and neck. You may experience low energy, fatigue, sweating at night, slight fever, and loss of appetite. Anemia is also common as is depression. Women suffer more often than men with it but both can develop it and it often materializes after the age of 50.

Giant cell arthritis is a condition that is often associated with polymyalgia rheumatica. The temporal arteries in the front side of the head begin to narrow and can become blocked and result in lost vision. It affects both men and women generally over the age of 50.

Warning signs of giant cell arthritis include skin around the forehead becoming tender, swollen blood vessels on the side of the head, blurred vision or blind spots, and pain in the jaw when chewing.

There are other symptoms that can be present and if you believe you suffer from polymyalgia rheumatica you should see your doctor who can assist you with treatments that can help reduce inflammation and pain.

What causes this disease is not really understood. In some cases other family members have suffered but not always. Genetics may play a role but it's not the only element.

If your doctor believes you have this disease he or she will refer you to a rheumatologist who specializes in diagnosing such conditions....

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