1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Polymyalgia Rheumatica and GCA

Neck ache and malaise

Posted , 6 users are following.

Guest
Guest

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this site but have been on others searching for answers. I have had neck and shoulders pain for several months. I just seemed to wake up with it one morning.I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis by my rheumatologist. I have had physio and it has helped my shoulder pain but I still feel unwell. Since my diagnosis I have been getting headaches, muzzy head feeling, fullness in ears, tinnitus and tiredness. I believe that these can be symptoms of OA but I am beginning to wonder whether I have PR. I recently had my eyes tested and needed a new prescription and the optician said my eyes were fine. Having said that I am using my old glasses because I can see better with them.

I seem to have the symptoms of OR and fit into the age category. Does anyone else have any of these symptoms of an I barking up the wrong tree?

Thank you for reading.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • snapperblue
    snapperblue Guest

    Posted

    Hi, Jayn- Welcome to the forum. You will find lots of support and information here.   I can't tell enough about your symptoms to say anything useful for you except to say something about PMR in general.

    Polymyalgia (PMR) is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are extremely variable.  Pain varies from mild achiness to so severe that you can't move without yelping aloud. The pain and stiffness are typically in and around the joints of the shoulders and hips, but may be felt mostly in adjacent areas.  A characteristic sign with shoulder pain is sharp pain when you raise your arms to the side, but not everyone has this.

    If a doctor agrees that PMR is a possiblity, the patient is usually put on a short course of prednisone (15 to 20 mg).  If it is PMR, there should be marked improvement in a few days, even in hours.

    Depending on the kind of vision problems and headaches you are having, your doctor should check for temporal arteritis (also called giant cell arteritis) which can occur with PMR (though each can occur independently.)  Do you have tenderness around the temples or scalp, or pain in the jaw with chewing?   

    I am sorry you are having these problems- malaise and constant fatigue are especially vague (to doctors, not to those who experience them!) and hard to diagnose. Best of luck. 

      

     

  • EileenH
    EileenH Guest

    Posted

    The rheumaotlogist obviously didn't see much to suggest PMR to him - not that that means much.

    Perhaps it is worth discussing the unwell feeling with your GP - but even with fairly textbook symptoms it took me 5 years to get an answer!!!!

    • Guest
      Guest EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you both for replying. My rheumatologist said it was early OA that is why I am querying all my symptoms. I am waiting for an ENT appointment, perhaps they will be able to enlighten me.

      Best wishes to you both

      Jayn

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Guest

      Posted

      I have osteoarthritis (first diagnosed at age 40 but may well have had it earlier) and I never had the symptoms you mention.  It has always been stiffness and moderate pain in specific joints, starting with my fingers and toes and including my neck.  The incapacitating stiffness and neck pain you mention arrived with PMR although it took over a year for diagnosis, when I got a new doctor.  Osteoarthritis will show up in x-rays.

      IF YOU GET ANY VISION POBLEMS PLEASE GO TO EMERGENCY AS YOU MAY HAVE GCA AND WILL NEED RAPID INTERVENTION TO PRESERVE YOUR SIGHT.

    • EileenH
      EileenH Guest

      Posted

      It does occur to me that a spondyloarthropathy is also a possiblity - quite often it does present in a similar way to PMR and the wrong diagnosis is made. Unless your rheumatologist did the right sort of imaging he wouldn't see it - and I suspect it COULD well look like OA in the upper spine. 

      Did he do imagaing studies? And did he show you what made him say OA? Or did he just poke about a bit and dismiss it all?

    • EileenH
      EileenH

      Posted

      And another thought - an orthopod told me I had "wear and tear" to my lower spine and that was what caused the severe pain I had, I'd have to live with it. However - other orthopods and the specialist in the pain clinic identified it was sacroiliacitis and due to spasmed back muscles. The back muscles were "despasmed" - result almost no pain and perfectly livable with.

  • Michdonn
    Michdonn Guest

    Posted

    Hi Jayn, I get the muzzy head, or woozy as I call it, had pain neck and shoulders, but so far no problems with my eyes. I also took some time to react to the Predinisone, notice a difference in few days, but took to feel somewhat normal. I have PMR! I would have a good check of my eyes if I was you.

    Good luck!

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.