Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory condition that mainly affects older adults and causes muscle pain and stiffness, especially around the shoulders and hips.
Here are the most common symptoms:
1. Muscle pain and stiffness
- Aching and stiffness in the shoulders, upper arms, neck, hips, and thighs
- Usually both sides of the body
- Stiffness is often worst in the morning or after resting
- Morning stiffness can last 30 minutes to several hours
2. Limited movement
- Difficulty raising arms (e.g., combing hair, dressing)
- Trouble standing up from a chair or climbing stairs
3. General flu-like feelings
- Fatigue or low energy
- Mild fever in some cases
- Feeling generally unwell
- Loss of appetite and sometimes weight loss
4. Sleep disturbance
- Pain and stiffness can make it hard to sleep comfortably
5. Systemic inflammation signs (less common)
- Mild anemia (found on blood tests)
- Elevated inflammatory markers (ESR/CRP)
Important associated condition
PMR can sometimes occur alongside or overlap with Giant cell arteritis, which is more serious. Symptoms to watch for include:
- New severe headache
- Scalp tenderness
- Jaw pain when chewing
- Vision problems (blurred or double vision)
If those occur, it needs urgent medical attention.
If you want, I can also explain how PMR is diagnosed or how it differs from arthritis or fibromyalgia.
