Neck Crepitus: Is this onset of GCA?

[Lickle]

I'm tapering down since my original diagnosis back in January when I was on 15mg of Prednisolone and am now down to 8Mg going down 1mg every 4 weeks at present.

My progress has been great. No Carb diet meant I lost about 21 lbs and I've been training 3 times per week at the gym. I mostly stick to Cardio work to build up my stamina, but am gradually adding a few of the weight machines or lightweight dumb bells with lots of repetitions.

During the last month I've noticed that sudden movement of my head, or even just opening my jaw I get a loud cracking sound, even my wife hears it when nearby. On looking it up I understand it is probably neck crepitus. At my last GP appointment I mentioned the cracking but he didn't seem to think it had anything to do with my PMR.

On reading more on this site about head pain and GSA I'm worried that it may develop into GCA and wondered if anyone else on here has had this experience also?

It is only occasional so am hoping it will just go away of its own accord. But when I had the PMR before going onto the Pred, I noticed that the inflammation crept up to the back of my head so am hoping it is not developing into GCA.

Any of you experienced wise sufferers got any recommendations or suggestions?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi.,

Can understand your concern with neck crepitus and GCA... but the CP is related to joints, GCA is blood vessels being affected..... and what exactly do you mean by ...

before going onto the Pred, I noticed that the inflammation crept up to the back of my head ?

Can you explain that in a little more detail please.. and had it been GCA at that time, then I doubt 15mg would have touched it.

Typically GCA is scalp tenderness initially then leading on to headaches like you've never had before - at it's worse, mine felt like a tight band being screwed tighter - almost like a old fashioned torture procedure would feel.

Any Jaw Claudication when eating?

[Lickle in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks, that is reassuring. What I meant was when the PMR first hit me it just seemed to work its way up my body up the neck and then onto my scalp.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Lickle]

Ok, some do seem to get heady time pains with PMR… but obviously not to the same degree as GCA.

As we’ve all said, unlikely to be that… so breathe😊

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Very unlikely - crepitus in joints is often part of aging and associated with the formation of air bubbles in the joints.

verywellhealth.com/neck-cre....

That you notice pain in the neck and sometimes the back of the head in PMR is often as a result of the upper back and shoulder muscles tightening and that can cause pain reaching as far as the top of your head.

[Lickle in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks that sounds more like it. Very reassuring

[SnazzyD]

Crepitus is more ‘nuts and bolts’ and so is jaw hinge pain. I’ve always had that packet of crisps sound in my neck when my neck muscles are a bit stiff or tense or the upper back muscles are tight. Are you tensing your jaw when you do your gym stuff? A dentist might be helpful with checking your TM joint but again, neck tension can have a knock-on to the jaw.

I had back of neck pain with GCA, it was silent.

[Lickle in reply to SnazzyD]

Its not happened at the gym often, more just on occasions through the day.

[SnazzyD in reply to Lickle]

I meant the gym work can set up the conditions to get the crepitus such that the crepitus creeps in as the muscles get tense later.

[Lickle in reply to SnazzyD]

Yes possible. I was always a Prop Forward at Rugby and have often been told by Chiro's and Masseuse that I have a lot of tightness in that area. So it has always been a possibility. Many years ago a GP had to open the neck joints up with a twist after one injury. I remember when he did that the loud crack was huge. This is like that on a lowers scale.

[Thelmarina in reply to SnazzyD]

Love the name ‘crepitus’. I feel a bit crepitus some mornings!

[Lickle in reply to Thelmarina]

I think you mean Crapitus, the condition named after a Roman Centurion friend of Bigus Dickus!

[Thelmarina in reply to Lickle]

🤣

[AtopicGuy]

You say in your bio that blood tests were used to diagnosed PMR. Presumably they were CRP (c-reactive protein) and/or ESR ( erythrocyte sedimentation rate), which are indicators of inflammation. You also mention that the tests were to be repeated after a few weeks. That's good practice.

What did the blood tests show? Hopefully, the steroids (prednisolone) reduced the inflammation. The prednisolone should not be tapered unless and until they do.

[Lickle in reply to AtopicGuy]

Not sure what the blood tests showed but my GP called me immediately to inform me of what the problem was tried me with the 15Mg Pred which took a few days but within 2 weeks had me back to a sort of normality. After that we had blood tests every month. Now I am down to 8Mg perday with another blood test planned for 6 weeks time. If I get any setbacks am to call him immediately. He is new to the practice but I've been very impressed so far.