Will it go away?
Often, yes. Most people need steroids for one to two years, and PMR often settles after that, though it can come back.
Treatment usually brings a big improvement within a couple of weeks. The long part is reducing the steroids slowly enough to keep the symptoms away. Relapses along the way are common and treatable, and some people need treatment for longer.
Sources
- NHS: Polymyalgia rheumatica, overview
- NHS: Polymyalgia rheumatica, treatment
- Arthritis UK (formerly Versus Arthritis): Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)
- American College of Rheumatology: Polymyalgia rheumatica (patient fact sheet)
Reviewed 2026-11-09 · next review 2027-11-09