Temporal Arteritis

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Temporal arteritis is an inflammation of the arteries, especially those serving the brain and head. As the inflammation causes swelling in the walls of the arteries, they tend to grow narrow or even close. The condition is found most frequently in people over the age of 55 and appears to affect women more than men.

Causes

The cause of this problem remains unknown.

Signs/Symptoms

Typical symptoms include severe headaches in the temples or back of the head, tenderness in the scalp, and vision problems such as blurring or seeing double. You may also experience pain in the muscles of the tongue and mouth. Left untreated, the condition can quickly lead to blindness.

Care

The arterial swelling can be relieved with a steroid medication, which typically must be taken for months or even years. To prevent blindness, treatment must be started as soon as possible, so it's very important to see your physician at the first sign of a problem. Your doctor can sometimes diagnose the condition with nothing more than a blood test, but often examination of a sample of arterial tissue (a biopsy) is also needed. The doctor may also order x-rays to arteries (an arteriogram or angiogram).

Risks

Untreated temporal arteritis can cause total or partial blindness, and occasionally leads to stroke.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

• Contact your doctor immediately if you suffer from persistent headaches that cannot be relieved with over-the-counter painkillers.
• If your doctor prescribes steroids to treat the disorder, be sure to take the exact amount prescribed. The drugs should not be stopped suddenly. The dosage is usually reduced over a period of many weeks.
• You must continue to see your doctor regularly to make sure that the drugs are keeping the swelling under control.

Call Your Doctor If...

• You notice any vision problems.
• You continue to suffer from headaches despite taking your medication as prescribed.
• You develop any new symptoms. They could be side effects of your medicine.

Seek Care Immediately If...

• Your headache gets worse.
• You develop a high temperature.
• You become weak or develop speech difficulties or a stiff or painful neck.

IF YOU'RE HEADING FOR THE HOSPITAL

What to Expect While You're There

If a biopsy is needed, it will be done in the hospital. You may encounter the following procedures and equipment during your stay:

• Taking Vital Signs: These include your temperature, blood pressure, pulse (counting your heartbeats) and respiration (counting your breaths). A stethoscope is used to listen to your heart and lungs. Your blood pressure is taken by wrapping a cuff around your arm.
• Anesthesia: Just prior to the surgery, you will be given local anesthesia to deaden feeling in the area where the procedure will take place.
• Arteriogram: This x-ray of the arteries will help the doctor determine which section to remove during the biopsy. You'll be injected with a dye to give the picture greater contrast.
• During the Biopsy...
• • Your skin will be washed with an antiseptic. You will need to lie as still as possible. The tissue sample will be taken with a needle pushed into the wall of the artery.
  • You may feel some pain and/or discomfort during the procedure. If so, your doctor will administer pain medication during and after the procedure.
  • Stitches may be needed to close the wound and a bandage may be applied.
  • The entire procedure takes from 15 to 60 minutes.

After You Leave

• The area may be painful for several hours following the procedure.
• Keep the area clean and dry for at least 24 hours.
• Your doctor may confine you to bed rest for the next day or two. Normal activity can then be resumed as soon as you feel up to it.

Call Your Doctor If...

• There is more bleeding than a small spot on the bandage.
• The area of the biopsy is red and tender (a sign of infection).
• You develop severe pain in the area of the biopsy that lasts for more than 24 hours.
• You develop a fever.