Thigh muscle pain and weakness

Pain and weakness in the thigh muscles is a condition called dermatomyositis, which is a rheumatic autoimmune disease and also a type of idiopathic inflammation. The incidence of this disease is relatively low, generally only one in tens of thousands of people, but it requires examination to be confirmed. Don't judge thigh pain and weakness as dermatomyositis. The specific diagnosis needs to be confirmed through examination.

What exactly is dermatomyositis?

Dermatomyositis is a rheumatic autoimmune disease and a type of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. It has a very low incidence rate, with only one person in 10,000 to 20,000 being affected.

The disease is characterized by involvement of the proximal muscles of the limbs, which manifests as symmetrical proximal muscle weakness. For example, if the upper limbs are affected, it may be difficult to raise the hands, resulting in the inability to comb the hair and put on clothes. When problems occur in the lower limb muscles, it will be difficult to go up stairs and steps, and even going to the toilet will feel very difficult, and it is impossible to squat, let alone stand up. If the neck muscles are affected, the patient may have difficulty even raising his head while lying in bed. Half of patients experience muscle pain or tenderness at some point in the course of the disease.

Rash is a very common manifestation of dermatomyositis, and there are many characteristic rashes. Many patients will develop a purple-red rash with edema on one or both eyelids or around the eye sockets, which will worsen when exposed to light. This rash, called periorbital rash, can also appear on the cheeks, bridge of the nose, neck, V-shaped area of ​​the chest, and shoulders and back. A rash that appears on the back is also called the shawl sign. Some patients find red or purple maculopapules on the back of their hands, especially on the metacarpophalangeal joints, interphalangeal joints or elbow joints, often covered with scales. This rash is called "Gottron's sign." Some patients also have periungual lesions and characteristic changes of "mechanic's hands".

In addition to damaging a person's skin and muscles, the disease can also harm a person's internal organs. Often silent. Damage to the lungs can cause people to gradually feel chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing, and even difficulty breathing in the late stages. Damage to the digestive tract can cause people to experience difficulty swallowing, acid reflux, heartburn, upper abdominal distension and pain, etc. It can also damage the heart and kidneys, causing people to experience palpitations, chest tightness, red urine, foamy urine, etc., and even heart failure and kidney failure, which are life-threatening. Therefore, patients must pay attention, be good at discovering subtle changes in the body, and receive timely diagnosis and treatment.