Medications:
While there is not yet a cure for myositis, for some patients treatments can effectively control and improve symptoms.
Because there are many different symptoms and possible complications, few controlled patient trials and a wide range of reactions to medicines, each persons treatment for myositis is individual. there are commonly used treatment regimens based on experience and case reports.
Corticosteroids:
Prednisone, a corticosteroid medicine, is commonly used as a first choice treatment with faily fast results in Polymyositis, Juvenile Myositis and Dermatomyositis. Corticosteroids slow the body's immune system and halts the inflammatory attack on muscle,skin and other body systems. These medicines control the inflammation, ease the pain and increase muscle strength.
The specific dose your doctor will prescribe will vary from patient to patient, but usually patients are started on a relatively high dose and then have the dose decreased slowly as the symptoms improve.
Prednisone can be given orally (as a pill) or intravenously (Methylprednisolone given by a needle)
Never discontinue or reduce your dose without checking with your doctor. slowly lowering your dose of Corticosteroids is essential to allow your body to begin cortisol production on its own.
Immunosuppressants:
Methotrexate and Azathioprine are often introduced as second line medicines or used in combination with prednisone. This allows the patient to taper off prednisone more quickly and hopefully avoid some of the unwanted effects.
Methotrexate and Azathioprine are well tolerated medicines , but methotrexate seem to work faster. Methotrexate is given orally (as a pill) or intravenously, azathioprine is taken orally.
Cyclophosphamide and Cyclosporine are more commonly used in cases where patients exhibit lung complications like interstitial lung disease (ILD) as these are more potent immunosuppressants.
The immunosuppressants a doctor will choose will depend on factors, The patients response to Corticosteroids, Medical history and the severity of the disease as well as the doctors past experience and preference.
Biological Therapies :
Sometimes the drugs mentioned previously don't control the condition. A small number of people with severe muscle disease and complications have ben treated with Biological therapies like Infliximab and Rituximab. These block the process of inflammation.
While there is not yet a cure for myositis, for some patients treatments can effectively control and improve symptoms.
Because there are many different symptoms and possible complications, few controlled patient trials and a wide range of reactions to medicines, each persons treatment for myositis is individual. there are commonly used treatment regimens based on experience and case reports.
Corticosteroids:
Prednisone, a corticosteroid medicine, is commonly used as a first choice treatment with faily fast results in Polymyositis, Juvenile Myositis and Dermatomyositis. Corticosteroids slow the body's immune system and halts the inflammatory attack on muscle,skin and other body systems. These medicines control the inflammation, ease the pain and increase muscle strength.
The specific dose your doctor will prescribe will vary from patient to patient, but usually patients are started on a relatively high dose and then have the dose decreased slowly as the symptoms improve.
Prednisone can be given orally (as a pill) or intravenously (Methylprednisolone given by a needle)
Never discontinue or reduce your dose without checking with your doctor. slowly lowering your dose of Corticosteroids is essential to allow your body to begin cortisol production on its own.
Immunosuppressants:
Methotrexate and Azathioprine are often introduced as second line medicines or used in combination with prednisone. This allows the patient to taper off prednisone more quickly and hopefully avoid some of the unwanted effects.
Methotrexate and Azathioprine are well tolerated medicines , but methotrexate seem to work faster. Methotrexate is given orally (as a pill) or intravenously, azathioprine is taken orally.
Cyclophosphamide and Cyclosporine are more commonly used in cases where patients exhibit lung complications like interstitial lung disease (ILD) as these are more potent immunosuppressants.
The immunosuppressants a doctor will choose will depend on factors, The patients response to Corticosteroids, Medical history and the severity of the disease as well as the doctors past experience and preference.
Biological Therapies :
Sometimes the drugs mentioned previously don't control the condition. A small number of people with severe muscle disease and complications have ben treated with Biological therapies like Infliximab and Rituximab. These block the process of inflammation.