Now we call this temporal arteritis. Severe headache, jaw pain, and trouble seeing are common. This can be followed by blindness in the second eye if treatment is delayed. High dose steroid treatment has complications, such as hypertension, increased infection, weight gain, or worsening of osteoporosis. The pain will return if treatments are stopped.
Many people have to be treated for at least two years.
Relapse also occurs if treatment dosage is lowered too rapidly. At least a year of follow-up is needed after treatment is stopped. Polymyalgia is not a benign disease, but correctly treated it can be controlled. All rights reserved.