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Myositis
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Bones Joints Muscles

Myositis

Myositis is the inflammation of muscles used for movement, often triggered by injury, infection, or autoimmune disease.

Overview

Myositis means inflammation of the muscles that you use to move your body. An injury, infection, or autoimmune disease can cause it. Two specific kinds are polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Polymyositis causes muscle weakness, usually in the muscles closest to the trunk of your body. Dermatomyositis causes muscle weakness, plus a skin rash.

Symptoms

Other symptoms of myositis may include:

  • Fatigue after walking or standing
  • Tripping or falling
  • Trouble swallowing or breathing

Diagnosis & Treatment

Doctors may use a physical exam, lab tests, imaging tests and a muscle biopsy to diagnose myositis. There is no cure for these diseases, but you can treat the symptoms. Polymyositis and dermatomyositis are first treated with high doses of a corticosteroid. Other options include medications, physical therapy, exercise, heat therapy, assistive devices, and rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

High-dose prednisone is necessary for rapid control of inflammation, but long-term use causes severe side effects like osteoporosis, diabetes, and steroid-induced myopathy. Steroid-sparing agents, such as methotrexate, azathioprine, or rituximab, take several weeks to work but allow doctors to safely taper prednisone once disease control is achieved.
Beyond measuring elevated creatine kinase (CK) and aldolase levels, clinicians order myositis-specific antibody panels. Antibodies such as anti-Jo-1, anti-Mi-2, and anti-MDA5 identify specific subtypes, predict disease severity, and signal potential complications like interstitial lung disease or rapid skin breakdown.
Dermatomyositis has a documented link to internal malignancies as a paraneoplastic syndrome, particularly in adults over 40. Patients are routinely screened for ovarian, lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers at diagnosis and monitored closely for the first three to five years.
Dysphagia indicates inflammation of the pharyngeal and upper esophageal muscles. Management involves a formal swallow evaluation by a speech-language pathologist, switching to thickened liquids or pureed foods, tucking the chin while swallowing, and intensifying systemic immunosuppressive therapy to reduce muscle swelling and prevent aspiration pneumonia.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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