Polymyositis

📋Overview

Polymyositis is classified as an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy, a group of disorders involving chronic muscle inflammation and progressive weakness. This condition primarily impacts the proximal skeletal muscles, which are those located in the shoulders, upper arms, hips, and thighs, often occurring on both sides of the body simultaneously.

The disorder involves an immune system response that targets healthy muscle fibers, leading to inflammation and functional decline. While it shares similarities with other inflammatory myopathies like dermatomyositis, it is distinguished by the absence of the skin rashes typically seen in those related conditions.