An inflammatory disorder causing muscle pain and stiffness around the shoulders and hips.
Most people develop polymyalgia rheumatica after age 50. Sometimes this condition occurs with temporal arteritis, a more serious condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the arteries.
Symptoms usually develop quickly and include aching of the shoulders, neck, or hips
Treatment is usually a low dose of an oral corticosteroid, such as prednisone. Although treatment often lasts two to three years, most people start to feel better within a day or two.