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Polymyalgia rheumatica (which takes its name from the word Πολυμυαλγία "polymyalgia" which means "pain in many muscles" in medical-scientific Greek) abbreviated as PMR, is a syndrome with pain or stiffness, usually in the neck, shoulders, upper arms, and hips, but which may occur all over the body. The pain can be very sudden, or can occur gradually over a period. It may be caused by an inflammatory condition of blood vessels such as temporal arteritis. It is thought to be brought on by a viral or bacterial illness or trauma of some kind, but genetics does play a factor as well. Persons of N. European ancestry are much more prone to this illness (U.K., Ireland, Scandinavian countries, etc.). Most PMR sufferers wake up in the morning with pain in their muscles; however, cases have occurred in which the patient has developed the pain during the evenings or has pain and stiffness all day long. Patients who have polymyalgia rheumatica may also have temporal arteritis, an inflammation of blood vessels in the face which can cause blindness if not treated quickly. It is not a "cookie cutter" illness, meaning that patients have differing symptoms, length of illness, course of treatment. That is why it is such a mysterious and difficult to diagnose disease. There is no true and certain laboratory test, but CRP (C-reactive protein) and ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) can be indicators of inflammation. The pain and stiffness can be debilitating if not treated, and can lead to severe depression. PMR is usually treated with courses of oral corticosteroids. Most people need to continue the corticosteroid treatment for two to three years. PMR sometimes goes away on its own in a year or two, but medications and self-care measures can improve the rate of recovery. PMR was first established as a distinct disease in 1966 by a case report on 11 patients at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY. ==Signs and symptoms== A wide range of symptoms can indicate if a person has polymyalgia rheumatica. The classic symptoms include: * Pain and stiffness (moderate to severe) in the neck, shoulders, upper arms, thighs, and hips, which inhibits activity, especially in the morning/after sleeping. Pain can also occur in the groin area and in the buttocks. The pain can be limited to one of these areas as well. It is a disease of the "girdles" meaning shoulder girdle or pelvic girdle. * Fatigue and lack of appetite (possibly leading to weight loss) are also indicative of polymyalgia rheumatica. * Anemia * An overall feeling of illness or flu-like symptoms. * Low-grade (mild) fever but one can also have subnormal temperatures. * In most sufferers, it is characterized by extreme exhaustion and weakness. About 15% of people who are diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica also have temporal arteritis, and about 50% of people with temporal arteritis have polymyalgia rheumatica. Some symptoms of temporal arteritis include headaches, scalp tenderness, jaw or facial soreness, distorted vision, or aching in the limbs caused by decreased blood flow, and fatigue.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Polymyalgia rheumatica」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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