What Is Giant Cell Arteritis?
5. Weight Loss
Trying to lose weight can be difficult. It often requires making adjustments to diet and increasing physical activity. With GCA, weight loss is however often unintended. The discomfort of this condition often makes it difficult to take pleasure food. Since eating involves engaging the jaws and muscles of the head, many sufferers are already put off by the pain. Chewing can often become unbearable, leading to those with GCA preferring not to eat at all.
Coupled with other symptoms like fatigue and loss of appetite, it is not uncommon to see GCA sufferers shed weight unknowingly. Tackling the pain and discomfort in the head is important in allowing these people to return to normal eating patterns. This issue is also important as eating less food can mean delivering even fewer nutrients to parts of the body that need them for normal cell function.
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