aching muscles

[astley123]

84 year old male with PMR and GCA for six years now on 6 mgs pred. I am suffering with severe aching shoulders when on laptop and lower back within a few minutes of walking. One consultant says wear on my vertebrae is problem. Any thoughts or similar experience

[PMRpro Ambassador]

In my case it is muscle tightness due to myofascial pain syndrome which is often a part of PMR. More pred sometimes helps but once it is entrenched it needs a more targeted approach, preferably with manual mobilisation of the tightened structures (can involve muscles and tendons/ligaments). At some point the lower back just says sod it, I've had enough, and goes into spasm to try to protect itself. I can walk for well over half an hour now before it gets very painful but earlier in the year it only took a few minutes before the pain was awful. Now standing is worse than walking. Have you tried a flooding dose of ibuprofen (800mg) and heat for the lower back? I can only use a computer if my back is well supported with cushions.

[Sharitone]

My muscular aches have got worse as I've got to lower doses of pred. particularly ones where a muscle is required to work in the same position for some time, as in using a computer. Apart from avoiding that, being careful of posture, and using heat pads, I haven't found a solution.

[SheffieldJane]

A good osteopath or physiotherapist may well be able to give you more constructive advice with regards to posture and perhaps some tailored light exercises. I have certainly had to change the way I sit when I access my eye pad , pain in the back of my head starts within minutes otherwise. I had to leave a funeral early this week because there was standing room only and my lower back pain became so intense I thought I was going to faint. I have “ wear and tear “ at the top and the bottom of my spine and realise that I need to have a form of therapy to improve things. My personal, initial choice is a good osteopath, having had a very positive experience in Australia, recently.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SheffieldJane]

I have a pair of crutches - which I don't really need but they do help of I have to stand for any time. But the best bit is the sympathy vote I had an appointment at the local police HQ recently and took the crutches to help the walk - a policeman rushed out to let me in and showed me to a chair Don't often see that here ...

[Bluey-1 in reply to SheffieldJane]

You could try an iPad bean bag. Very useful for having your iPad at a better angle.

[Estellemac in reply to Bluey-1]

Also aesthetically pleasing 🤗

My IPad holder very flexible

[AliDeJ in reply to SheffieldJane]

I can sympathise with all the aching backs here. Five years of Pred masked wear and tear osteoarthritic damage to my lower back. An MRI scan showed how my discs had dried out and the vertebrae had compensated by making extra bony growth impinging my spinal cord. The spinal surgeon at the Whittington said" we can fix that". He said I can have the growth shorn away and the spine reinforced with pins. I may opt for this one day but initially I opted for cortisol injections to the vertebrae and the corda. It was done this week, under a relaxant which put me to sleep, and via X- ray. I can't tell you how well I feel! Backache gone, no heaviness in my legs, no pain shooting up and down my legs. I am aware that the benefit may not last but right now I feel so relieved and would recommend the procedure to anyone feeling depressed about chronic backache. My daughter in law works in a vets. She said that arthritic dogs have regular cortisol shots to keep them mobile. It's all wrong that arthritic people have to wait and wait. However, I suppose if you pay for private medical care it might be possible to get more timely help.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to AliDeJ]

Maybe we should go to the vet instead ... Not the first time that has been mentioned

[Broseley]

Rheumy warned me that I would start getting 'normal' aches and pains once I got to a lower dose of pred. Now on 7mg and my back kills me if I bend for any length of time, e.g. when I'm cleaning. That is normal for me, but my shoulders have started clicking, which isn't, and my lower neck/top of spine pain is still there too. I had neither of these problems before or during PMR.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Broseley]

Probably myofascial pain syndrome in association with the PMR making your back muscles tight which can cause all those effects. You can have MPS in its own right but it is more common alongside PMR - I speak from experience!

[Jane424 in reply to PMRpro]

Me too. I can't get below 7. My pelvis aches when at the computer and humidity really makes me feel awful. Jane

[Artsister]

My shoulders became very painful and clicking after prednisone. After X-rays I was told I have no cartilage in my shoulders — destroyed by prednisone. I’m so weak and sad. I do not want two shoulder replacements!

[Groovykindoflove1992]

I work from home because I can no longer sit in an upright office chair, as the pain in my ribs/shoulders/back becomes unbearable. I now work from my sofa which is slightly tilted backwards with a 'v' cushion across my lap with my laptop on that, and this supports my elbows. I take frequent breaks, just to stretch a bit. I worried that this was bad posture that might create a new set of problems long term, but I got my husband to take a couple of photos of me 'in situ' to show both my rheumy and physio, and they both said my position is fine. I work part-time, only two days a week, but do long hours on one of the days. I think it would be bad sitting like I do if I worked full time. I went to a restaurant this week to celebrate a colleague's 60th birthday, and by the time we left, I was in agony having sat so upright for a few hours. Makes me realise how life has changed as I don't really go out much these days as I worry about not being able to stand somewhere for any length of time or not having anywhere to sit. Good job I've always been a 'homebird', but a bit sad really 😕