I think "sudden onset" is the key phrase to describe this disease. Suddenly stiff and in pain in my case coincided with a very strenuous exercise routine. This misled me for a while but when it got worse and not better after 8 weeks I really wondered what on earth was wrong with me. My PMR journey is posted here so I won't go over it again, but I did see my PCP who sent me to a hematologist but I still went undiagnosed from early July until October 20. When my upper arms started hurting and I couldn't put my hair in a pony tail I knew something was up