Polymyalgia rheumatica

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a condition that causes pain, stiffness and inflammation in the muscles around the shoulders, neck and hips.

The main symptom is muscle stiffness in the morning that lasts longer than 45 minutes. It may also cause other symptoms, including:

high temperature (fever) and sweating extreme tiredness (fatigue) loss of appetite weight loss depression

If you have pain and stiffness that lasts longer than a week, you should see your GP so the cause can be investigated.

Diagnosing polymyalgia rheumatica can be difficult because the symptoms are similar to those of many other conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. These conditions will need to be ruled out before polymyalgia rheumatica is diagnosed.

Read more about the symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica and diagnosing polymyalgia rheumatica.

Symptoms

The most common symptom of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is pain and stiffness in the shoulder muscles, which develops quickly over a few days or weeks.

The muscles in the neck and hips are also often affected. Both sides of the body are usually affected.

The stiffness often feels worse first thing in the morning after you wake up and starts to improve after about 45 minutes as you become more active.

Some people with polymyalgia rheumatica have additional symptoms, including:

a mild high temperature (fever) of 37-38C (98.6-100.4F) depression fatigue (extreme tiredness) loss of appetite weight loss


After other possible causes of your symptoms have been ruled out, a checklist can be used to see whether your symptoms match those most commonly associated with polymyalgia rheumatica.

A confident diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica can usually be made if you meet all of the following criteria:

you’re over 50 years of age  you have pain in your shoulders or your hips you have stiffness in the morning that lasts longer than 45 minutes your symptoms have lasted longer than two weeks blood tests show raised levels of inflammation in your body your symptoms rapidly improve after treatment with corticosteroids

Read more about treating polymyalgia rheumatica.