Polymyalgia Rheumatica

A polymyalgia rheumatica diagnosis can be difficult for a healthcare provider to make because the condition is similar to several other medical conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, pseudogout, myositis and other connective tissue diseases as well as degenerative joint disease. Your provider will have to rule out these other conditions before making a diagnosis.

Your provider will ask about your medical history and perform a physical examination. During the exam, they’ll look for the presence of common polymyalgia rheumatica features and those of other possible illnesses.

There’s no specific blood test for polymyalgia rheumatica, but your provider will order a series of tests that help them find or rule out other conditions. Blood tests may include:

• Complete blood count (CBC).
• C-reactive protein (CRP).
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).
• Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
• Creatine kinase.

Your provider may also be able to diagnose polymyalgia rheumatica based on how quickly you respond to corticosteroids (steroids). Most people with the condition feel much better within a few days of starting a low dose of prednisone.