What is temporal arteritis?
Temporal arteritis is inflammation of an artery on the side of your head, near your sleep. The inflammation can also sit deeper: in an artery in your neck or to your eye.
The disease occurs almost exclusively in people older than fifty years.
Temporal arteritis is always promptly investigated and treated by an internist or rheumatologist.
Advice for temporal arteritis
First you must go to the specialist (internist or rheumatologist) to determine whether you have temporal arteritis. The doctor takes a small portion of the artery in your sleep away. Under the microscope to see if your symptoms actually come through temporal arteritis. Your blood is examined for signs of inflammation.
If pain and redness clearly sitting on the sofa, there you can possibly hold a cold pack against it.
Temporal arteritis symptoms
The disease usually begins with the headache at the level of sleep (sleep, or both). The headache can be intense and throbbing. Sometimes, the skin over the inflamed red blood vessel and can burn or stabbing. The vessel can set up and feel lumpy.
Other possible symptoms are:
*Pain when chewing.
*Fever.
*Decreased food and weight loss.
*See suddenly worse, double vision or does not see. This may be temporary or permanent.
Temporal Arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica
Temporal Arteritis sometimes goes along with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), a form of rheumatism.
People with PMR have at least four weeks the following complaints:
*Pain in the neck, shoulders and/or hips.
*In the morning, stiff and aching muscles. It takes you a little longer than an hour before gets going. It can be difficult to get up from your bed or Chair. Also dress up and washing can be tricky.
*The pain worsens with movement.
Sometimes revealing PMR and giant cell Arteritis giant cell Arteritis may also occur at the same time, but if you already have longer time PMR has.
Medications with temporal arteritis
Temporal arteritis is treated with corticosteroids (adrenal hormone, known under the name prednisone). These drugs inhibit the inflammation. Is 40 to 60 mg of prednisone per day is usually prescribed.
The drugs reduce the symptoms usually fast. Prednisone is a powerful tool that the immune and inflammation suppressed.
But it also has side effects:
*thicken, especially in your face,
*stomach upset,
*a higher blood sugar,
*osteoporosis (long term use).
Therefore, you will usually have drugs in:
*a means to protect the stomach,
*a means in order to prevent osteoporosis,
*possibly, calcium and vitamin D.
What happens next with temporal arteritis ?
The prednisone inflammation usually decreases rapidly and the headache goes away.
The treatment with prednisone can take one to two years. Your blood should be as long as you are taking prednisone, regularly checked. It is important that you keep taking the agreed amount of prednisone to prevent you getting complaints again.
Having trouble you to continue taking prednisone, for example because the side effects are too heavy? Discuss this with your doctor. Stop or reduce the prednisone may only consultation. Prednisone should be gradually phased out, the disease may not come back.
When contact with temporal arteritis ?
Call your doctor immediately:
*If you have a fever (over 38 degrees Celsius).
*If the symptoms come back.
*If you suddenly see worse. Then you have rushed to the ophthalmologist.