Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease among people over 50 and occurs with symptoms such as musculoskeletal pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulders, and hips. To date, corticosteroids represent the cornerstone of PMR treatment. However, it is well known that their prolonged use is associated with several adverse effects, making it crucial to find therapeutic alternatives. The purpose of this case report was to describe the effectiveness of 10 whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) sessions on a 74-year-old woman suffering from PMR. An improvement in disease impact, fatigue, pain, quality of sleep, and total physical activity was observed after WBC. Moreover, the patient reduced her daily drug intake by 67% following WBC treatments. Given the increasing prevalence of PMR and considering the side effects that drug treatments can lead to, WBC could represent a valuable adjuvant and well-tolerated alternative for treating PMR.
Keywords: chronic pain; disease activity; polymyalgia rheumatica; rehabilitation; whole-body cryostimulation.