Temporal Arteritis

Temporal Arteritis Damage sustained by the inflammation of temporal arteries that are responsible for supplying blood to the brain and the head is medically known as temporal arteritis. This condition is sometimes also referred to as giant cell arteritis or cranial arteritis. Even though temporal arteries are usually the ones that are most affected by this condition, all large or medium arteries in the body can get affected by temporal arteritis. The chance of this condition developing in women is four times higher than in men. Young people are less likely to develop temporal arteritis than older people especially those who are less than 60 years of age.

What Is Temporal Arteritis?
Temporal arteritis is chronic condition that is characterized by persistent inflammation in the medium and large arteries located in the head, which are responsible for supplying oxygenated blood to the many parts of the brain. This inflammation can cause a decrease in the supply of nutrients and oxygen in the brain.

Considered to be an autoimmune disorder, temporal arteritis causes the immune system of the body to start attacking its own cells and tissues for no reason, resulting in inflammation. Although this condition usually targets the temporal arteries present in the temple region close to the eyes, they can affect the arteries present anywhere in the body. Since it affects the supply of blood to the brain, symptoms of temporal arteritis can affect any part of the body including the eyes, face and the head.

Although temporal arteritis is not that common, it is among the most common precursors of a disease called Vasculitis which causes inflammation of the blood vessels.

Treatment for temporal arteritis is possible but if the condition is not treated at an early stage, it can cause serious problems like Stroke or even blindness.

What Are the Symptoms & Complications of Temporal Arteritis?


Temporal arteritis symptoms include:

• Vibrating pain in the back or one side of the head


• Scalp becomes sensitive to touch

Some of the other symptoms can be similar to that of flu:

• Sweating profusely


• Fever


• Not feeling well


• Intermittent pain in the jaws when chewing food


• Appetite loss


• Aches in the muscles


• Stiffness and pain in the hips, neck, shoulder and upper arms


• Too much tiredness and weakness

Eyesight issues might also be felt as part of temporal arteritis symptoms and they might start unexpectedly:

• Double vision


• Blurring of vision


• Blindness or reduction of vision in one or both eyes

Some other symptoms that might accompany this condition include:

• Bleeding in the gums


• Loss of hearing


• Stiffness in the joints


• Facial pain

Complications
Temporal Arteritis can lead to complications if it is left untreated for a long period of time:

• Damage and inflammation of the blood vessels present in other parts of the body


• Aneurysm development, especially Aortic Aneurysm


• Loss of vision


• Weakness of the eye muscles


• Stroke


• Blindness

When to See a Doctor
If you are experiencing symptoms that are associated with temporal arteritis then it is important that you seek medical attention as quickly as possible. This condition can lead to the development of serious medical issues but all that can be avoided if you consult the opinion of your doctor immediately and start getting the adequate treatment for it.

What Are the Causes & Risk Factors of Temporal Arteritis?
There is no exact reason for the cause of this condition. However, since most of the people diagnosed with temporal arteritis are above 50 years of age, it is suggested that the natural aging process might be responsible for it.

Risk Factors
The chances of the development of temporal arteritis get increased if you have the following factors:

• Old age


• Having someone in the family who suffers from temporal arteritis


• Polymyalgia rheumatica


• Female gender

However, there also is a chance that people who are at a higher risk of developing this condition do not get affected by it at all.

What Are the Treatments for Temporal Arteritis?
There is no cure available for temporal arteritis. Thus, the aim of the treatment is mainly to reduce the damage to the tissue caused by the irregular flow of blood in this condition.

Treatment for this condition must begin immediately if there is even a chance that the patient is suffering from it. This is crucial because this condition can lead to serious complications like aortic aneurysm, stroke and blindness if it is left untreated for too long.

This is why doctors tend to prescribe oral corticosteroids in cases if there is chance that a diagnosis of temporal arteritis might be reached. Aspirin is also advised for the musculoskeletal symptoms that accompany this condition.

Side Effects of Corticosteroid Treatment
The corticosteroid treatment that is provided to the patients can also cause certain complications as well. This treatment can make a person vulnerable to problems like high Blood Pressure, Glaucoma, Osteoporosis, cataracts and muscle weakness. Other side effects of corticosteroid treatment include:

• Putting on weight


• Rise in the blood sugar levels (which can cause Diabetes)


• Increase in bruising because of thinning of skin


• Slowing down of the immune system

Therefore, regular check-ups with the doctor are recommended while corticosteroid therapy is being given to you as the doctor will have to ensure that your body handles the drugs properly and does not develop any complications because of the prolonged use of these drugs.

Other Treatments
The doctor might recommend the following measures to you when you are undergoing the treatment:

• Taking vitamin D and calcium supplement


• Stop smoking


• Attempting weight-bearing exercise


• Regular tests for checking your bone density

Watch the video below to have a quick view on temporal arteritis:

Temporal Arteritis

Temporal Arteritis

Damage sustained by the inflammation of temporal arteries that are responsible for supplying blood to the brain and the head is medically known as temporal arteritis. This condition is sometimes also referred to as giant cell arteritis or cranial arteritis. Even though temporal arteries are usually the ones that are most affected by this condition, all large or medium arteries in the body can get affected by temporal arteritis. The chance of this condition developing in women is four times higher than in men. Young people are less likely to develop temporal arteritis than older people especially those who are less than 60 years of age.

What Is Temporal Arteritis?
Temporal arteritis is chronic condition that is characterized by persistent inflammation in the medium and large arteries located in the head, which are responsible for supplying oxygenated blood to the many parts of the brain. This inflammation can cause a decrease in the supply of nutrients and oxygen in the brain.

Considered to be an autoimmune disorder, temporal arteritis causes the immune system of the body to start attacking its own cells and tissues for no reason, resulting in inflammation. Although this condition usually targets the temporal arteries present in the temple region close to the eyes, they can affect the arteries present anywhere in the body. Since it affects the supply of blood to the brain, symptoms of temporal arteritis can affect any part of the body including the eyes, face and the head.

Although temporal arteritis is not that common, it is among the most common precursors of a disease called Vasculitis which causes inflammation of the blood vessels.

Treatment for temporal arteritis is possible but if the condition is not treated at an early stage, it can cause serious problems like Stroke or even blindness.

What Are the Symptoms & Complications of Temporal Arteritis?


Temporal arteritis symptoms include:

• Vibrating pain in the back or one side of the head


• Scalp becomes sensitive to touch

Some of the other symptoms can be similar to that of flu:

• Sweating profusely


• Fever


• Not feeling well


• Intermittent pain in the jaws when chewing food


• Appetite loss


• Aches in the muscles


• Stiffness and pain in the hips, neck, shoulder and upper arms


• Too much tiredness and weakness

Eyesight issues might also be felt as part of temporal arteritis symptoms and they might start unexpectedly:

• Double vision


• Blurring of vision


• Blindness or reduction of vision in one or both eyes

Some other symptoms that might accompany this condition include:

• Bleeding in the gums


• Loss of hearing


• Stiffness in the joints


• Facial pain

Complications
Temporal Arteritis can lead to complications if it is left untreated for a long period of time:

• Damage and inflammation of the blood vessels present in other parts of the body


• Aneurysm development, especially Aortic Aneurysm


• Loss of vision


• Weakness of the eye muscles


• Stroke


• Blindness

When to See a Doctor
If you are experiencing symptoms that are associated with temporal arteritis then it is important that you seek medical attention as quickly as possible. This condition can lead to the development of serious medical issues but all that can be avoided if you consult the opinion of your doctor immediately and start getting the adequate treatment for it.

What Are the Causes & Risk Factors of Temporal Arteritis?
There is no exact reason for the cause of this condition. However, since most of the people diagnosed with temporal arteritis are above 50 years of age, it is suggested that the natural aging process might be responsible for it.

Risk Factors
The chances of the development of temporal arteritis get increased if you have the following factors:

• Old age


• Having someone in the family who suffers from temporal arteritis


• Polymyalgia rheumatica


• Female gender

However, there also is a chance that people who are at a higher risk of developing this condition do not get affected by it at all.

What Are the Treatments for Temporal Arteritis?
There is no cure available for temporal arteritis. Thus, the aim of the treatment is mainly to reduce the damage to the tissue caused by the irregular flow of blood in this condition.

Treatment for this condition must begin immediately if there is even a chance that the patient is suffering from it. This is crucial because this condition can lead to serious complications like aortic aneurysm, stroke and blindness if it is left untreated for too long.

This is why doctors tend to prescribe oral corticosteroids in cases if there is chance that a diagnosis of temporal arteritis might be reached. Aspirin is also advised for the musculoskeletal symptoms that accompany this condition.

Side Effects of Corticosteroid Treatment
The corticosteroid treatment that is provided to the patients can also cause certain complications as well. This treatment can make a person vulnerable to problems like high Blood Pressure, Glaucoma, Osteoporosis, cataracts and muscle weakness. Other side effects of corticosteroid treatment include:

• Putting on weight


• Rise in the blood sugar levels (which can cause Diabetes)


• Increase in bruising because of thinning of skin


• Slowing down of the immune system

Therefore, regular check-ups with the doctor are recommended while corticosteroid therapy is being given to you as the doctor will have to ensure that your body handles the drugs properly and does not develop any complications because of the prolonged use of these drugs.

Other Treatments
The doctor might recommend the following measures to you when you are undergoing the treatment:

• Taking vitamin D and calcium supplement


• Stop smoking


• Attempting weight-bearing exercise


• Regular tests for checking your bone density

Watch the video below to have a quick view on temporal arteritis:

Temporal Arteritis

Temporal Arteritis






Temporal arteritis also called as giant cell arteritis is swelling of inner lining of the arteries that carry oxygenated blood. Arteries are blood vessels that carry pure (oxygen rich) blood from the heart to other parts of the body. This disorder largely involves thickening of arteries in your head and your temples. Hence it is also known as cranial arteritis. It causes severe Headache, jaw pain and blurred vision. Temporal arteritis can be treated in time by corticosteroid drugs. Loss of vision can be avoided if the treatment is given without delay. Since the disease involves formation of abnormally large sized cells within the lining of arteries it is called giant cell arteritis.

Symptoms :

Severe headache and tenderness on the temples are the common symptom of temporal arteritis. Signs may vary depending on the extent of inflammation of the arteries and which part of the body it has affected. Tenderness can be felt on the scalp for many people. It becomes difficult to comb the hair and to lay your head even on the pillow. Pain is felt either on both the temples or on one side.

Some people have pain in the jaw muscles making it difficult to eat or swallow. The jaw pain tends to subside when the person is resting the jaw muscles. One out of every 5 people with this disease will get their vision affected. Loss of vision will be permanent or temporary. Visual disturbance is quite common for all people affected with temporal arteritis. Double vision (called diplopia) can occur on one eye and if left untreated can proceed to affect other eye also. There can be sudden permanent loss of vision on one eye.

In addition, there may be symptoms like fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, loss of weight and Depression. Polymyalgia rheumatica is the medical term related to describe the condition of pain and stiffness in the upper arms and shoulder region. This happens due to inflammation of the muscles inside. You should never delay in visiting your doctor if you have severe headache and blurred vision to prevent blindness.

Causes :

Temporal arteritis is caused by inflammation of the arteries cells in your head and jaw muscles. What exactly causes swelling of arteries is not known. Very often inflammation occurs on the arteries located in front of your ears and some of them will also cause swelling of arteries in the scalp region.

Who are at risk?

Temporal arteritis occurs only for old-age people who are above 65 years. For reasons unknown, this disorder occurs more in women than men. People who suffer from polymyalgia rheumatica problem are likely to get temporal arteritis.

Complications :

In many cases temporal arteritis can cause total blindness due to reduction of blood flow to the eyes causing paralysis in the eyes or sudden vision loss. This type of blindness cannot be cured causing permanent loss of vision. Individuals with this problem are likely to get aortic Aneurysm (weakening of blood vessel in the aorta) which is serious and life threatening condition. If sudden blood clot occurs in the artery of the major blood vessel of the heart, it can cause Stroke/cardiac arrest. However this is a rare phenomenon.

Diagnoses :

Temporal arteritis cannot be diagnosed easily since many of its symptoms resemble common conditions. Your doctor will collect medical history after completing physical examination. He would check for tender arteries and reduction of pulse rate giving special attention to temporal region. Blood tests will be done for checking the sedimentation rate of erythrocyte. CRP test is also done and positive result indicates the presence of inflammation of arteries.

He may do skin biopsy from the temporal artery region for testing in the laboratory to check whether there is inflammation. For some patients imaging tests like MRI is done for ruling out anomalies in your head. Positron Emission Tomography test can be done for detecting areas of inflammation in the blood vessels.

Treatment :

Immediate treatment is to be given for temporal arteritis and hence your doctor will start prescribing steroids if he suspects of the problem, without waiting for the result. Vision loss becomes inevitable if the inflammation continues till your eyes and hence fast treatment is necessary.

The patient will feel better after taking medications but he/she should continue to take the drugs as prescribed by the doctor. For some cases, the drugs are to be taken for 2 years or even more. The dosage of steroid will be reduced after few months after measuring the sedimentation rate. All the symptoms and discomfort would have gone within a week. Corticosteroids can produce undesirable side effects like Glaucoma, Osteoporosis, muscular weakness, cataracts, weight gain, high Blood Pressure, thinning of skin, mood changes and weakened immunity.

Since this problem occurs often in old people your doctor will monitor bone density closely and prescribe supplementary medications for preventing bone loss. Blood pressure should also be kept under control by changing the diet and restricting salt intake. For some patients, aspirin is given in low doses (75-100 mg per day) to prevent cardiac arrest and stroke. This drug can also prevent vision loss. To prevent acidity and stomach ulcer, proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole or lansoprazole is suggested. Remember that you should not take anti-inflammatory drugs once you are taking steroids since it can cause stomach ulcer.

Pictures of Temporal Arteritis :

Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Temporal Arteritis

Home Remedies :

Once you are diagnosed with temporal arteritis you should start taking steroids daily. Eat a balanced diet rich in proteins and calcium. You should include minimum 1000 mg of calcium each day in your diet to avoid thinning of bones. Monitor your blood sugar level and blood pressure regularly. Practice exercise regularly to prevent getting diabetes and blood pressure. It would also improve your mood changes and create a sense of well-being.

Prevention :

You cannot prevent temporal arteritis but you can always watch your health regularly once you have crossed 60 years. Healthy diet and regular aerobics can help you to postpone this problem.