Polymyositis is a chronic and difficult disease condition calling for long-term planning treatment. As the name suggests, it is poly=many, myco=muscles, sitis=inflammation. That is, a disease condition where many muscles get inflamed. It is similar to another condition called dermatomyositis, where skin is also involved.

Females are affected more than men. Usually, it starts after around 18 years. Patients present with muscular weakness in the legs, spreading to upper limbs and then eventually to entire body. There is a sense of tiredness or fatigue, due to muscle involvement. Patients also complain of painful body movement due to inflammation of muscles. Increasing difficulty in getting up, running, climbing staircase, and eventually day to day activities, forms a major symptom of this disease.

Polymyositis is a progressive condition, where more and more groups of muscles tend to get involved, leading to restricted mobility and increasing painfulness. It does not have a tendency to go into natural remission, as recorded in the cases at Homeopathic Consultant.

The exact cause behind Polymyositis is not yet known. However, it falls in the category of auto-immune disease. It is also suspected to have some genetic links. Certain infections such as virus, parasites (protozoa), Lyme disease, etc. might trigger Polymyositis.

Recent studies indicated involvement of certain immunological parameter such as some cytokines (IFN-gamma) and IL 2, etc. which are released after microvascular muscle injury.That, in turn, lead to activation of some other cytokines such as TNF-alpha, which is also responsible for continued and recurring inflammation of the muscles. All in all, polymyositis is a multifactorial disorder, where genetic, immunological and other factors are involved. Homeopathic treatment tries to address multiple factors and bring about control of the disease processes as well relief in the symptoms.

Clinical diagnosis supported by one or more of the following investigations would help to confirm the diagnosis of Polymyositis: