Polymyalgia Rheumatica causes pain and stiffness in the muscles of the shoulders, neck, hips, thighs, and upper arms. The term poly means many and myalgia refers to muscle pain. This condition can begin quite quickly and often affects people who are 65 years old and above. It is quite rare for people under the age of fifty to develop this inflammatory condition. The pain caused by polymyalgia rheumatica often becomes worse with movement of the joints and may become severe enough to limit activity.
This condition is related to Giant Cell Arteritis and often appears with it. Giant Cell Arteritis is another inflammatory disorder that causes a person to experience jaw pain, headaches, and possible visual impairment. Many patients who suffer from polymyalgia rheumatica may also have or develop anemia. Here are eight other quick facts about polymyalgia rheumatica that you should be aware of.
1. Who Gets Polymyalgia Rheumatica?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica affects about one out of every one thousand individuals who are over the age of fifty. Most of the people who are diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica are over the age of sixty, typically in the late sixties or in their early seventies. It is quite unusual for people under the age of fifty to develop this condition. However, while it is unusual for younger people to develop this muscle condition, it is not unheard of and can occur in some instances. When it comes to gender, women are three times as likely to develop polymyalgia rheumatica than men.
It seems to affect the muscles of women more greatly than it does that of men. This could be for several reasons including that women’s muscles often tend to be a bit weaker than men’s muscles. Overall, women who are over the age of sixty are the most likely to develop polymyalgia rheumatica.
