I am a bit confused

[Kneeknit]

Good day, everybody! I wonder if anyone knows how to differentiate pain from an all injury and pmr. I had a flare up during a knee surgery and end upwith Prednisone after, I believe, two years or so. This time is taking four month and one shoulder/arm is giving me lots of pain in my more useful side, which, at times, make throw things I am holding. I went to therapies which almost make me faint.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If it is one-sided and localised then it is less likely to be PMR - not saying it definitely isn't, but mostly PMR is rather more generalised. What sort of therapies? What about diagnostics? x-ray, MRI for example?

[Kneeknit in reply to PMRpro]

Have both sides with the usual pmr. The right is very intense. Therapies like physio, accupuncture (the best , but not good enough) and pressure therapy. Cold and warm. Do not know if there are others. Mri, scans, x-rays, did not show much... it could be in my head, my GP did the blood test and said still my inflamation markers are there. Oh! Thank you for the speedy reply!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Kneeknit]

Something muscular sounds most likely if they can't see anything on MRI.

Unfortunately this

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

focussed on rather esoteric inflammatory markers in myfascial pain syndrome but there is inflammation - which might contribute to the more usual ESR and CRP in PMR.

[Kneeknit in reply to PMRpro]

Again, thank you.

[HeronNS]

A few months ago I developed very severe pain in my right shoulder, which I attributed to referred pain from my arthritic neck and also using my laptop too much during the pandemic. Physiotherapy, which has always helped me (except pre-PMR diagnosis), didn't help, although at least this time the therapy didn't make matters worse. For other reasons I thought I must be having a PMR flare and took what for me was a huge dose (up from 2 mg to 10). To my surprise, after a few days I noticed my shoulder was also feeling better and my restricted range of motion returning closer to normal. I can now only assume that most of the pain in my shoulder had been due to PMR. Today I have none of the really bad pain and stiffness, although there is residual discomfort in certain positions and tenderness to touch which I think can be attributed to osteoarthritis.

[Kneeknit in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you!

[baxternoni]

After a year on prednisone I ended up with my rotator cuffs torn (both had already been repaired) as well as a torn tendon and a stress fracture of my ankle. I now have osteoporosis in my spine. This is a reason I hope never to get on prednisone again. My endocrinologist wants to put me on a bone building med for my osteoporosis but I really don’t want to. One thing I do want to ask my rheumatologist next week is if I have PMR. This is too new for me and I don’t know enough about GCA. This group has been very helpful. I learn so much from you guys.

[HeronNS in reply to baxternoni]

Have a look at this for some ideas re your bone health. You may get some helpful ideas whether or not you eventually decide you need a bone med. healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[baxternoni in reply to HeronNS]

Thanks