Goal: Safe relief now, and a smart plan for your appointment.
Today’s action plan
- Schedule an appointment and mention “shoulder/hip pain with morning stiffness.”
- Start a symptom diary: note where it hurts, morning stiffness minutes, and pain scores (0–10) in the morning and evening.
- Gentle movement beats bed rest: short walks, easy shoulder rolls, and hip stretches help reduce stiffness.
- Use pain relievers wisely: follow the label; avoid doubling up (for example, two products with ibuprofen). If you have kidney, stomach, heart, bleeding issues, or take blood thinners, ask a clinician first.
- Better sleep tonight: warm shower or heating pad before bed; support sore joints with pillows.
What to bring to your appointment
- Timeline: when symptoms began, what makes them better/worse, morning stiffness length
- All medicines and supplements (with doses)
- Past conditions: blood pressure, diabetes, bone loss, heartburn/ulcers
- Your questions: write them down or save on your phone
What you can expect at the visit
Your clinician will examine your shoulders and hips, check your range of motion, and may order ESR/CRP blood tests. Sometimes imaging (like ultrasound) helps if the story isn’t typical. If PMR is likely, treatment often starts and your response over the next days to weeks adds helpful information.
What not to do
- Don’t self-start steroids. PMR is commonly treated with low-to-moderate dose prednisone that is tapered carefully; doing this on your own can mask other diagnoses or cause side effects.
- Don’t ignore red flags: If you experience a new headache, scalp tenderness, jaw pain with chewing, or any vision change, see your medical practictioner and reques same-day care.
