bone, joint, and muscle disorders
Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Treatment of Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Prednisone , a corticosteroid, usually causes dramatic improvement in people with polymyalgia rheumatica. If people also have Giant Cell Arteritis , a higher dose is prescribed to reduce the risk of blindness. As the symptoms subside, the dose is gradually reduced (tapered) to the lowest effective dose. Many people can stop taking Corticosteroids commonly cause side effects in older people (see). Giant Cell Arteritis may develop at the start of polymyalgia rheumatica or much later, sometimes even after people appear cured of the disorder. Therefore, all people should immediately tell their doctor if they have headache, muscle pain during chewing, unusual cramping or fatigue of the arms or legs with exercise, or vision problems. 