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Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis

The Basics

Written by the doctors and editors at UpToDate пїЅ пїЅ

What are polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis? " пїЅ Polymyalgia rheumatica is a condition that can cause stiffness and aching in the shoulders, neck, and hips. Sometimes it also causes swelling in joints such as the knees, hands, and feet. It usually occurs in people age 50 and older. пїЅ пїЅ

Giant cell arteritis is a condition that can cause headaches, trouble seeing, and jaw or arm pain. This condition affects blood vessels, usually in the head and sometimes in the neck. Blood vessels in the brain are not affected. Giant cell arteritis is sometimes called "temporal arteritis " пїЅ because it often affects a blood vessel in the temple on the side of the head. пїЅ пїЅ

Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis are two different conditions. But they often occur together. Usually, these conditions last between one and three years. пїЅ пїЅ

What are the symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis? " пїЅ The most common symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica are: пїЅ пїЅ

  • Pain and stiffness in the shoulders, hips, neck, or upper part of the body that is usually worse in the morning " пїЅ These symptoms occur on both sides of the body and last 30 minutes or longer after getting up.
  • Swelling and stiffness in the knees, hands, wrists, ankles, or feet
  • Feeling tired
  • Weight loss
  • Fever

The most common symptoms of giant cell arteritis are: пїЅ пїЅ

  • Headaches " пїЅ The pain is often over the temples (sides of the forehead) but can also be in the front or back of the head. Some people also have pain in the scalp when it is touched.
  • Pain in the jaw, especially after chewing or talking
  • Pain or weakness in the arm, especially when you move your arm
  • Trouble seeing clearly, or trouble seeing out of one eye
  • Cough (that is new) or sore throat

Other symptoms of giant cell arteritis can include: пїЅ пїЅ

  • Fever
  • Feeling tired
  • Weight loss

Are there tests for polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis? " пїЅ Yes. If your doctor or nurse suspects that you have polymyalgia rheumatica or giant cell arteritis, he or she will do an exam and order blood tests. He or she might also order an X-ray, MRI, or other imaging test. Imaging tests create pictures of the inside of your body. пїЅ пїЅ

To check for giant cell arteritis, your doctor might order a test called a biopsy. During a biopsy, a doctor takes a small piece of a blood vessel from under your skin on the side of the head. He or she then looks at the tissue under a microscope. пїЅ пїЅ

How are polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis treated? " пїЅ Both polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis are treated with medicines called steroids. (These are not the same steroids that athletes take to build muscle. These steroids reduce swelling and ease pain.) Many people feel better after taking their first dose. But most people need to take steroids for one to two years. пїЅ пїЅ

Steroids can have side effects, so your doctor will want to make sure you are on the lowest dose possible for the shortest amount of time possible. пїЅ пїЅ

Doctors might also prescribe other types of medicines for people with giant cell arteritis. For example, most people with giant cell arteritis also take a low dose of aspirin every day to prevent vision loss or a stroke. пїЅ пїЅ

What else can I do? " пїЅ It is important to follow all of your doctors instructions about treatment and follow-up. For example, if you have giant cell arteritis, your doctor might order a test called a chest X-ray every year to check the blood vessels in your chest. пїЅ пїЅ

It's also important to let your doctor know if you have side effects from the treatment or if you develop new symptoms. пїЅ пїЅ

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. пїЅ пїЅ

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. пїЅ пїЅ

Topic 15532 Version 4.0 пїЅ пїЅ

Release: 22.8 - C22.208 пїЅ пїЅ

пїЅ пїЅ 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. пїЅ пїЅ

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пїЅ пїЅ 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. пїЅ пїЅ