What is polymyalgia rheumatica?
This information is from the Arthritis Research Campaign (arc). For more information, see the arc website at www.arc.org.uk. Polymyalgia rheumatica (usually shortened to ‘PMR’) is a rheumatic condition in which you have many (poly) painful muscles (myalgia). We do not yet know the cause. It is common and very treatable with drugs called corticosteroids (also known as ‘steroids’). Almost everybody has aches and pains of one kind or another as they grow older. In most cases these cause little trouble and are eased by taking aspirin or other pain-relieving tablets. In PMR, however, painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs on their own are not enough to ease the aches and pains.
