Myositis or something else?

[Broseley]

I am now down to half mg pred for PMR and GCA. I get a bit of stiffness in my hips and shoulders, also my ankles. Nothing debilitating though. However I keep getting horrendous groin pain which cripples me. XRays show no OA. GP checked for inguinal hernia, nothing. I have narrowed down the pain through research to be exactly like groin strain. It led me to cancel my holiday in July. Last night it came back. There's nothing I do, no pattern, except I had a shingles vaccine last week. No after effects. But the previous occasions were not after a vax.

The pain goes completely with an extra 5mg of pred within 24 hours. But surely it's not PMR just in such a small area? I've also noticed that my thigh and back muscles become painful on repeated exercise, like climbing many stairs or bending to weed. The pain goes as soon as I rest. I am concerned that my muscle strength is deteriorating, even from when I was on a high dose of pred.

Im now wondering if I have mysositis. I have read that people with other AI conditions can develop it. Any suggestions please?

[piglette]

If it is not arthritis and 5mg of pred helps it does point to PMR. The biggest difference between polymyositis is that polymyalgia rheumatica tends to cause muscle pain and stiffness, but polymyositis causes pain and weakness. Both are treated with steroids.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Myositis is also muscular - what you describe sounds synovitis-y. How long does that 5mg pred effect last? Is 1mg ongoing enough to achieve pain-relief? It is obviously inflammation - doesn't have to be PMR but I had similar pain early in PMR which eventually faded with oral pred - every so often it comes back for no apparent reason. I assume it is part of GTPS since I also have low back and SI pain - all joined up with tendinopathy and the bits that PMR picked on. It likes our weak spots.

physio-pedia.com/Greater_Tr....

[Broseley in reply to PMRpro]

Sounds very similar to me, as I also get tendonitis. The 5mg pred lasted 3 months last time, taken for 4 days. However your link describes lateral hip pain. Mine is totally confined to the groin area and fits with the description of adductor tendinopathy - scroll down to it on this link myfamilyphysio.com.au/commo...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Broseley]

Mine starts as lateral - but the last few days there is discomfort in the groin too. Falling apart!!!!

Good images those!

[AtopicGuy]

I had no choice but to do more activity on Friday than normal. I struggled to walk for the rest of the weekend! Things have loosened up today.

I tried out Google's new Artificial Intelligence searching by asking "What is groin pain?" The answers are in the attached image. GAI didn't ask whether you have testicles, so neither will I. 😉

The response from Google Artificial Intelligence to the question "what is groin pain?"

[Broseley in reply to AtopicGuy]

Thanks, it's none of those, but fits with the one I linked to on my reply to PMR Pro above. The strange thing is, I only have to take one 5mg pred tablet and the pain is gone within 10 hours. Before that I'm in agony if I try to walk, stand, turn around etc.

[AtopicGuy in reply to Broseley]

That's a good indicator that its inflammatory in nature, and doesn't involve much of an injury.

[Broseley in reply to AtopicGuy]

Too much inflammation! 😄

[AtopicGuy in reply to Broseley]

One can have too much of a good thing!