is PMR always bilateral?

[Stills]

can it attack one area on one side and a different on the other?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It is mostly bilateral but can be unevenly distributed so one side is affected more than the other. And it CAN appear on just one side but that is unusual - although of course you can notice one side long before the other.

[Stills in reply to PMRpro]

Useful thank you

[Carrollee in reply to PMRpro]

My left side was worse than my right but definitely had pmr. Raised CRP, all the typical symptoms and quick response to pred 🤗

[Gimme]

Always one side affected more than the other for me, but the other side usually catches up eventually. I'm assuming it must be a postural thing, as my poor old body is a bit wonky. Though I am also heavily right handed and right footed and the right side is always the worst.

[Stills in reply to Gimme]

I’m wonky too

[Gimme in reply to Stills]

I don't think it helps if you are a bit out of alignment. I can tell by the way that my clothes fit, the right side of my body is significantly bigger than the left side.

[sidra1968]

For what it's worth, mine really isn't (maybe a little some days..but my initial presentation was pretty much unilateral - right side hip area, left side neck - my "weak" or formerly injured areas). My PMR seems to attack my "weak" spots..other than my flank/ribs on the right which was truly weird. No clue why it hits me there, other than it is above my bad right hip. I think a lot of it is myofascial pain, too. Yet the steroids DID mostly take it away, so...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to sidra1968]

Myofascial pain is also caused by inflammation due to the same cytokine as PMR, just it is not systemic but present in trigger spots in the large muscles and in the fascia enclosing large muscles. So pred does help - more slowly and less effectively but it does have an effect.

[sidra1968 in reply to PMRpro]

Interesting, thanks!

[Stills in reply to sidra1968]

I’m hoping GP will prescribe holding dose of steroids IF I ever get to speak to her

[ackagee in reply to sidra1968]

Yes, I agree: PMR seeks out old injuries. I was up a ladder in 1977 removing old guttering when, while over reaching, the ladder slipped. I made the mistake of hanging on to the guttering using just my left hand. This caused a rotor cuff tear in my left shoulder which came right slowly without surgery. When diagnosed with PMR 40 years later in 2017 - it was the left shoulder that was the most badly affected by PMR. When I have a flare - and I have had 8 over the last 7 years - it's always the left shoulder that stops working.

[Stills in reply to ackagee]

Interesting

[Stills in reply to sidra1968]

That’s interesting, areas of injury are definitely hurting more atm

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Stills]

We have said for years that PMR seeks out your weak spots

[Stills in reply to PMRpro]

Then I concur 😉does this account for my memory loss too as that’s definitely a weak spot, then there’s my bladder, my eyes ….

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Stills]

Hmmmm ...