<unk>  <unk>  is a syndrome with pain or stiffness, usually in the neck, shoulders, upper arms, and hips, but which may occur all over the body. The pain can be very sudden, or can occur gradually over a period. Most people with<unk>  wake up in the morning with pain in their muscles; however, cases have occurred in which the person has developed the pain during the evenings or has pain and stiffness all day long. People who have<unk>  may also have temporal arteritis (giant cell arteritis), an inflammation of blood vessels in the face which can cause blindness if not treated quickly. The pain and stiffness can result in a lowered quality of life, and can lead to depression. It is thought to be brought on by a viral or bacterial illness or trauma of some kind, but genetics play a role as well. Persons of Northern European descent are at greater risk. There is no definitive laboratory test, but C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) can be useful.<unk>  is usually treated with corticosteroids taken by mouth. Most people need to continue the corticosteroid treatment for two to three years.<unk>  sometimes goes away on its own in a year or two, but medications and self-care measures can improve the rate of recovery.<unk>  was first established as a distinct disease in 1966 by a case report on 11 patients at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY. It takes its name from the Greek word Πολυμυαλγία<unk> , which means "pain in many muscles".
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Giant cell arteritis
Fibromyalgia
Myositis
Lupus erythematosus
Rheumatism
Dermatopolymyositis
Oligoarthritis