The consequences of polymyositis include muscle atrophy, weakness, pain, and in later stages, severe symptoms such as weakness in chewing, shortness of breath, and cyanosis at the ends of the limbs may occur. Patients with polymyositis should go to a regular hospital for treatment.
Inflammation in the early stage of polymyositis mainly affects the proximal muscles of both lower limbs, and patients may have difficulty in lifting their legs, squatting, and accomplishing simple actions such as walking up the stairs and getting up from a seat.
In the later stages of polymyositis, the whole body will be gradually involved, from the proximal lower limbs to the distal lower limbs, upper limbs and neck muscles, and the patients mainly show that they can’t even lift their heads and arms. In severe cases, the ball muscles and respiratory muscles are involved, and there may be weakness in chewing, difficulty in swallowing, choking on drinking water, dysphonia, shortness of breath, and even cyanosis of lips and ends of limbs.
Some patients with polymyositis will have muscle atrophy, and severe patients even have rhabdomyolysis and soy sauce-colored urine. Some patients with polymyositis may also experience systemic symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and weight loss.