I found this article interesting. Wondering if that is why my arms ache. My knees ache too and sometimes my back. They always do test on my liver too, which is ok, but who knows what goes on in your body.
My rheumatologist said my arm pain was referred pain. She really didn't explain where it was referred from. It is hard to explain and I think this blogger explained it quite well. Referred pain comes off your back nerves and can originate from your liver, gallbladder, spleen, heart sack, and a couple other places. I have IBS, and I got to thinking that maybe my referred pain was coming off of something in my abdomen.
http://anatomynotes.blogspot.com/2006/10/referred-pain.html
arrrggghhhh! Something more to worry about!! Further to this, my own doctor has a big plastic model of a spine and a chart showing the central nervous system and all the nerves radiating from and originating in the spine. SO many times my hubby and I have been shown these to explain a particular pain we are complaining of. I know how pain can be referred, for sure. But I find it quite reassuring to assume that a pain in my side is not my liver about to pack up, but is just coming from my dodgy old back! I looked at the link, and it IS interesting, but honestly, it's not good reading for those suffering from "health anxiety"! They kept telling me my arm pain and chest pain were referred from myShe also wants to do an MRI to look at my liver. Since PMR is a diagnosis that is given when no other disease is found, I guess she is still looking and I am still wondering if I have PMR. I am on month 15 and wondering if it will go away as it does for some people. Probably only then will I believe that is what I have since the rheumy still wants to explore other possibilities.
I overdid yesterday. I helped to decorate a hall for Christmas and was there about 6 hours, and sort of busy at all times, moving things, arranging things, etc. It was fun being with the people and doing this. I was thinking I needed to quit after about three hours or I would hurt today. And I do.
It is a strange disease and like so many other diseases, they have not found the source of pain nor the cure. It is hoped it will just go away after awhile. I think that if it does not go away, it might be some other disease, and I still keep looking, and so does my rheumy.
Your concern for some people reading it is justified. I know some people have every disease they read about....and they shouldn't.
Mary
Mary, sorry if I came across too seriously, I didn't mean to. I read the article and found it very interesting, and considering that there are a number of potentially serious differential diagnoses for PMR, every possibility should be explored. And considering also that there is a lot that is unanswered about PMR, it is good to read as much as we can about it and the symptoms we have. It's just that I am one of those who suffer from "health anxiety" and I thought Oh no, just when I thought I KNEW what was wrong with me, here comes something else I never thought of! lol On the other hand, I often have a vague niggly feeling that maybe I don't even have PMR anyhow! I don't want it, cos it's awful, but I do want it cos I want to know what I've got, and there are a lot of worse things one could have
No I don't think you came down too hard. You sure are right, we could have something a whole lot worse. I've thought of that many times. With this disease, if that is what we have, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
My rheumatologist wants to continue looking to see if there is a source for the pain. She even eluded to the fact a couple times, "if you have PMR....".then named symptoms.
The article you posted was interesting because all of the study subjects eventually got better. I would say that if anyone has the symptoms we have and the symptoms don't go away after 18 months to two years, possibly we have something else. And while we have it now, maybe we should explore the possibility that we do have something else. Mary
Mary, both those articles I mentioned talk about feet, hands, knees, torso, thighs and sternum being involved in PMR, whereas usually they only talk about shoulders & hips. That is intersting, as many people on this forum have mentioned pain in all those areas. The emedicine article says that MRI of the hands and feet shows inflammation of the tendon sheaths in many patients. I know I get pain around the ribs (I always think its my liver or something!!), as well as pain in the breast-bone rib joints & transient pain in the fingers. Hopefully we will all be better soon!