Is temporal arteritis life threatening?

Untreated temporal arteritis can cause serious damage to the blood vessels in your body, and in some cases, it can be life-threatening. Call your doctor if you notice any symptoms. This will make it more likely that you’ll be diagnosed with a condition when it’s in the early stages.

Can temporal arteritis heal on its own?

Temporal arteritis cannot heal on its own and requires immediate medical treatment.

Why do temples swell?

Pressure in temples is fairly common and often brought on by stress or tense muscles in the jaw, head, or neck. OTC pain relievers, improving your posture, and managing your stress may be all you need. See your doctor if you’re concerned or have other symptoms.

How long can you have temporal arteritis?

Most symptoms in people with giant cell arteritis will develop gradually over one to two months, although rapid onset is possible. The most significant risk factors for giant cell arteritis are: Age > 50 years.

What happens if temporal arteritis goes untreated?

Most often, it affects the arteries in your head, especially those in your temples. For this reason, giant cell arteritis is sometimes called temporal arteritis. Giant cell arteritis frequently causes headaches, scalp tenderness, jaw pain and vision problems. Untreated, it can lead to blindness.

What mimics temporal arteritis?

Unfortunately, the symptoms and clinical signs of temporal arteritis mimic those of a number of other conditions including angle-closure glaucoma, hypertension, migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, temporomandibular joint syndrome, carotid artery occlusive disease, Foster-Kennedy syndrome, and nonarteritic AION.

What doctor can diagnose temporal arteritis?

Team-based specialty care: To diagnose and treat your giant cell arteritis, you will likely need help from multiple specialists — all of whom are available at Rush. For instance, if you need a biopsy of your temporal artery, you can be referred to a Rush neuro-ophthalmologist or vascular surgeon.

How do you get temporal arteritis?

The cause of the condition is unknown. It is believed to be due in part to a faulty immune response. The disorder has been linked to some infections and to certain genes. Giant cell arteritis is more common in people with another inflammatory disorder known as polymyalgia rheumatica.

How do they test for temporal arteritis?

The best way to confirm a diagnosis of giant cell arteritis is by taking a small sample (biopsy) of the temporal artery. This artery is situated close to the skin just in front of your ears and continues up to your scalp.

Will a brain MRI show temporal arteritis?

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Contrast-enhanced MRI to diagnose giant cell arteritis was found, in one study, to have a sensitivity of 78.4% and a specificity of 90.4%. In patients in whom temporal artery biopsy was performed, sensitivity and specificity of MRI were 88.7% and 75%, respectively.

Does temporal arteritis require hospitalization?

Most patients with GCA can be treated on an outpatient basis. Hospital admission may be indicated for patients with particularly severe symptoms or those unable to provide self-care at home.