Well I didn't know that

[Flivoless]

According to a post by Dr. Karthikeya T M, MD Internal Medicine on Microsoft Start Health, PMR is caused by "hereditary and environmental conditions" - apparently.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I suppose it is possible to extrapolate that from the old fashioned concepts of "Scandinavian genes" and environmental and chemical triggers if you want make it snappy. Though it has to be said that the genes aspect isn't causative - it predisposes you to succumb to the other potential triggers, no one single thing does it, it is an accumulation of factors which must come together. It certainly isn't hereditary in the true sense of the word which is where there is an identified gene or genes that actually CAUSE it and having 2 copies, one from mum's side and one from dad's side, guarantees you get it. That could possibly be the case and it hasn't been found yet - but that IS the point, Not yet identified ...

[Flivoless in reply to PMRpro]

Exactly, this kind of, ill-considered, statement from someone in the medical profession helps no one.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Flivoless]

Especially us!

[Gimme]

It's the age old problem when you use buzz words that each signify a whole much wider concept behind it. Most of the patient info websites that I looked at mention genetics and environment as possible causes. I would expect that each of us with autoimmine illness have a predisposition towards it because of our biological make up, when some researcher eventually finds out whatever that is. But even if you have a predisposition to something, it doesn't mean guaranteed that you will get it, just that you have a much higher chance than average, like any other risk factor. I never thought of the environmental thing as being, say something in the air that causes it, but perhaps cultural and lifestyle aspects, like what kinds of food we eat, quality of diet, exercise (too much or too little), how much stress we are exposed to, the infectious diseases that we have been exposed to, etc. What those two words are saying is that they really don't know, but they think it is a mix of internal and external factors. An exercise in stating the blooming obvious?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Gimme]

Stress is considered part of environmental factors - and we know that many had had experienced stressful life events at some point, and for some they were immediately before the symptoms started. This is an interesting statement:

"Although stress is frequently considered an environmental factor, dependent stressful life events (SLEs) -- stressors that result from one’s actions or behaviors -- may in fact be evoked by a genetic liability."

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

So actually - sometimes difficult to separate them.

[Gimme in reply to PMRpro]

yes, I would go along with being difficult to separate, especially when you get down to the old nature vs nurture argument.

[Lyndaki]

I am a participant in a research programme in the U.K. to try and ascertain what actually causes PMR & GCA, so I think it’s wrong for this doctor to give out this information when the causes are still being investigated!

[Flivoless in reply to Lyndaki]

Exactly my point.

[Motida in reply to Lyndaki]

Has your research programme leader mentioned the Pfizer Vaccine posssibly triggering PMR? Three clinicians have suggested that to me. They are not sure which ingredient in the vaccine is responsible yet. Would be interested to see the results of the research programme in due course. Thanks

[Flivoless in reply to Motida]

My PMR started about two weeks after my first jab which was AZ. Could have been a coincidence, I will never know for sure.

[Lyndaki in reply to Motida]

No, I haven’t heard anything since I gave the last blood but will be interested to know like you!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Motida]

ANY vaccine can be the final trigger - nothing special about the Covid one other than far more people had it all at once compared to the flu or shingles jabs which are recorded as potential final triggers.

[Flivoless]

My PMR "pains" started a few days after I had a day of lifting heavy paving slabs, which was a couple of weeks after my first jab, and I, at first put the pains down to that. I suppose the heavy lifting could have been the trigger 🧐