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Some fibromyalgia sufferers spend years trying to find a diagnosis for their pain. Many health care providers simply can’t find a cause for their symptoms, while others misdiagnose fibromyalgia for other illnesses. On occasion, some people are misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome when they really have a disorder known as polymyalgia rheumatica. This disorder causes symptoms that are very similar to fibromyalgia, but which demands different treatment approaches. If left untreated, polymyalgia rheumatica can result in severe complications.
What is Polymyalgia Rheumatica?
Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory disease that affects your muscles and joints. It can cause moderate to severe muscle pain, along with persistent joint stiffness. Polymyalgia rheumatica is often difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are very similar to a number of other conditions. Additionally, symptoms typically don’t appear during physical examinations. Polymyalgia rheumatica is a fairly common syndrome, affecting about 1 out of 200 men and women in the United States.
Who Gets Polymyalgia Rheumatica?
Polymyalgia rheumatica is most common among the elderly. The disorder is rarely diagnosed in people under the age of 50. The average onset of the disease is 70. Other risk factors include:
- being female (women are two times more likely to develop the disorder)
- being of northern European or Scandinavian descent
- having giant cell arteritis (50% of people suffering from giant cell arteritis also have polymyalgia rheumatica)
What Causes Polymyalgia Rheumatica?
As with fibromyalgia, no one is completely sure of the causes of polymyalgia rheumatica. It is thought by some to be related to rheumatoid arthritis, while others believe it is actually a genetic disorder. Possible causes of polymyalgia rheumatica include:
- Autoimmune Disease: Polymyalgia rheumatica may result from an autoimmune disorder in which white blood cells attack the lining of the joints, causing inflammation.
- Environmental Factors: Some researchers believe that polymyalgia rheumatica is caused by the adenovirus respiratory infection.
What are the Symptoms of Polymyalgia Rheumatica?
The symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica tend to appear suddenly and without warning. Many sufferers develop severe pain in just a week or two, while others develop symptoms overnight. The hallmark symptoms of the illness are stiff and painful muscles in the upper arms, upper thighs, neck, hips, and shoulders. Additional symptoms include:
Polymyalgia Rheumatica or Fibromyalgia?
It can be very difficult to distinguish between fibromyalgia and polymyalgia rheumatica. Both disorders have similar symptoms, including:
To make matters worse, neither disorder has any clear cause, making diagnosis even more difficult. It is important to ask your health care provider for specific polymyalgia rheumatica tests in order to make sure you receive the right diagnosis for your pain.
Testing for Polymyalgia Rheumatica
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica, it is important to be tested for the illness. Even if you have already been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, testing is imperative to rule out polymyalgia rheumatica. Your health care provider will perform two blood tests to confirm the diagnosis.
Sed Rate: Sed rate is a measure of the time it takes your blood cells to fall to the bottom of a test tube. Referred to as erythrocyte sedimentation, blood cells fall faster when exposed to inflammation. A fast reading could indicate polymyalgia rheumatica.
Rheumatoid Factor(RF): RF is a measurement of rheumatoid factor hormone in your blood stream. People with RF in their blood cannot have polymyalgia rheumatica.
Complications of Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Unfortunately, polymyalgia rheumatica is associated with some complications. 15% of polymyalgia rheumatica sufferers develop giant cell arteritis. Giant cell arteritis, also referred to as temporal arteritis, causes your arteries to become swollen and inflamed. The condition particularly affects the arteries in the temples, scalp, neck, and head. If left untreated, giant cell arteritis can put you at risk of stroke, aneurysm, and blindness.
Treating Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Treatment for polymyalgia rheumatica tends to be multifaceted, and includes:
- medications
- proper nutrition
- daily exercise
NSAIDS, like ibuprofen and naproxen, are recommended to relieve mild pain and swelling. The corticosteroid prednisone is also used to treat more severe pain. A healthy diet and exercise can help to manage pain and increase muscle flexibility and range of motion.
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