What you need to know about Polymyalgia Rheumatica

What you need to know

If you suffer from polymyalgia rheumatica and looking to find long-term management of symptoms, give our office a call today (425) 686-4498 to learn more about how we can help.

What you need to know about Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Polymyalgia Rheumatica is relatively common inflammatory disease that typically presents in those over age 50. Typical presentation involves seemingly rapid onset of bilateral pain and stiffness in shoulders and lower back/pelvis but can affect multiple joints. Typical inflammatory markers maybe elevated and referral to rheumatology is often done to ensure diagnosis and treatment.

Standard treatment options for PMR include NSAIDs, sometimes prednisone, tramadol/painkillers, and alternative therapies. The use of alternative therapies alone or in conjunction with medication is becoming more common due to the unwanted side effects that may arise from medications. Acupuncture has been shown to help with pain management, decrease inflammation, and regulate the immune system to help inflammatory conditions.

How is Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) different than Fibromyalgia?

Often times these two conditions present with similar symptoms. Some hallmarks is that PMR is often a sudden onset versus a gradual onset of fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia patients are typically younger while PMR are often over age 50. Typically, a patient with fibromyalgia will have normal labs and inflammatory markers while PMR may present with elevated ESR and CRP levels.

In a recent study looking at statistics on what non-pharmacological treatments people often try reported that 41% of people in this cohort used non-pharmacological treatment during their disease treatment, one of these being acupuncture.

What do the studies say?

Currently the studies on acupuncture and PMR are scarce. There is however many studies looking at acupuncture and fibromyalgia and autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis that might shed light into exactly how acupuncture can help with PMR.

In a recent study examining 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed that acupuncture was significantly better than sham acupuncture for pain reduction and improving quality of life for those with fibromyalgia. This study concluded that acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment option for those with fibromyalgia.