What Is Giant Cell Arteritis?
3. Head Pain
Conditions like GCA come with a wide range of symptoms that often cause confusion as to what ailment is being suffered. One of the most common symptoms is headaches. The pain can often be quite severe and tends to occur in over half of cases. Temporal arteries feed the temple areas on either side of the head, just above eye level. Many sufferers report feeling a throbbing sensation.
This pain may also be accompanied by a visible bulging of the blood vessels in this area and the scalp. The skin around these areas may feel tender and appear reddish. Similar pains can also be experienced if the GCA is affecting arteries in such areas as the arm or legs. If prolonged, it can result in thinning of the arterial wall that can put a person at risk of suffering an aneurysm.
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