Suggest Treatment For Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Posted on Sat, 28 Feb 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 28 Feb 2015 Answered on

Fri, 20 Mar 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : Thanks. We think my husbabd has polymyalgia rheumatica, we are waiting to see a rheumatologist in 2 weeks time. His symptoms are severe and I am worried that his body is getting damaged as treatment has not yet started apart from painkiller and anti inflammatory. In addition to symtons listed he also cannot close his fists since the last few days. Is this also known to be a symptom of pmr ?
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Answered by Dr. Dr. Shruti Rijhwani (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Follows.

Detailed Answer:
Dear Madam,

Thank you for posting your query on HCM.

Well I answered you earlier also that although Polymyalgia rheumatica is known to present with stiffness in proximal and central joints , in advanced stage it can involve other joints also . But there are other conditions such as Rheumatoid arthritis , metabolic deficiencies, Polymyalgic onset RA that needs to be ruled out before labelling him as suffering fron PMR.

High ESR is a hallmark for this disease plus being extremely responsive to steroids is the gold standard for its diagnosis. As your rheumatologist will investigate further any doubts that you want to clear we will more than happy to answer .Till then pain kllers and antiinflammatories are the standard treatment because only after diagnosis specific treatment can be started .

Take care.

Dr. Shruti

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar