Pain at night

[jaycee444]

For a little while now Ive been experiencing quite strong pain in my joints and muscles (especially arms) when I wake in the night. These feel similar to PMR pain but strangely when I get up they are gone. I am presuming then that this cant be a flare as the pain would still be there in the morning. For now I am holding at 4mg and intend to stay there for a while before reducing any further. Im not sure what is going on - dont think it’s my bed as I have a good orthopaedic mattress.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

How strange - though when you say "when you get up they are gone" do you mean they go once you are up and moving? Or that they really have disappeared before even getting out of bed?

[jaycee444 in reply to PMRpro]

Once I get up I can feel straight away that the pain and stiffness is diminished ….. I do have back problems anyway but that is a different story. Im very wary of reducing any more for a while though as I really dont want an increase in pred unless it’s absolutely neccessary. Taken 5.5 years to get this far so I’d like to think there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

[jaycee444 in reply to jaycee444]

I should add that early morning stiffness has been a problem for many years but not enough t o stop me functioning and nothing like it was when I started my journey with PMR……So I am allowing for my age (80 yrs) and considering I can still walk a couple of miles a day I am better off than many

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to jaycee444]

It is just there is a form of inflammatory arthritis which causes night pain and once you are up, it improves. It can present identically to PMR which confuses things!

[jaycee444 in reply to PMRpro]

Ohhh… that does add to the confusion though presumably that would be in my joints….This does rather feel as if my muscles are involved as well. Luckily once Im up and about I feel more or less human again .

[AtopicGuy]

Many factors could be involved while we sleep, including reduced breathing, heart-rate, blood flow, and localised pressure on skin, muscles, nerves and joints. Lying still for hours on end is rarely comfortable. Ideally, the body should be able to change position during the night without fully waking us up. Personally, I can't remember the last time I slept through without waking up in pain at least once. Turning over usually sorts it out, until the next time.