All about polymyositis  causes of polymyositis symptoms of polymyositis diagnosis of polymyositis treatment for polymyositis |
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What causes polymyositis?
The cause of this disorder is unknown. It is thought that an autoimmune reaction or a viral infection of the skeletal muscle may cause the disease. It can affect people at any age, but most commonly occurs in those between 50 and 70 years old, or in children between 5 and 15 years old. It affects women twice as often as men. Polymyositis is an inflammatory myopathy. It is believed to result from an autoimmune reaction, whereby the body's own immune system attacks the muscle cells. This results in the breakdown of muscle. The result of this attack on the muscles is inflammation, with muscle tenderness as an occasional complaint. The onset of symptoms may be acute, but the condition usually progresses slowly. If left untreated, the patient's ability to ambulate may be compromised. Once the diagnosis is established, treatment is straight forward and often successful in reversing the symptoms. |
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More information on polymyositis
What is polymyositis? - Polymyositis is a systemic connective tissue disorder characterized by inflammatory and degenerative changes in the muscles.
What causes polymyositis? - The cause of polymyositis is unknown. An autoimmune reaction or a viral infection of the skeletal muscle may cause polymyositis.
What're symptoms of polymyositis? - Symptoms of polymyositis are symmetrical muscle weakness, difficulty in swallowing, fever, fatigue, and weight loss.
How is polymyositis diagnosed? - The first step in the diagnosis of polymyositis is obtaining a history and physical examination compatible with the picture usually seen in this entity.
What's the treatment for polymyositis? - Polymyositis disease is treated with corticosteroid medications. Prednisone therapy usually leads to improvement within two or three months. |
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