Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List
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Treatment of Polymyalgia rheumatica
Although PMR is a serious condition, it can often be treated quite simply.
Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as aspirin and ibuprofen can be effective in treating the mild symptoms of PMR – but be aware that aspirin should not be given to children under 16 years old, and you should avoid taking ibuprofen if you have a history of asthma, kidney or liver problems.
However, a daily dose of an oral steroid (cortisteroid drugs, such as prednisolone) is the usual treatment for PMR and will really help to reduce inflammation. In most cases, there is a very quick response and you should be feeling better within a few days (you should not take NSAIDS while taking cortisteroid drugs).
Throughout your treatment your doctor will continue to perform sed rate and CRP blood tests (both tests measure the level of inflammation in the body). This way your doctor will be able to see if / how the treatment is working.
After the first month of cortisteroid treatment, when your sed rate and CRP count have dropped, your doctor will gradually start to reduce the amount of cortisteroid you take until, eventually, you are on the lowest possible dosage.
The amount of time spent on this medication varies with PMR cases, but the majority of people are taken off the cortisteroid drugs within six months to two years. It is vital that you do not stop taking this medication without your GP’s advice – doing this can make you very ill.
Your doctor or pharmacist may also give you a blue ‘steroid card’. You should carry this with you at all times. It alerts people of your dosage instructions and provides information that can be vital if you fall ill or are involved in an accident.
