What Is Polymyalgia Rheumatica?
7. Diagnosis of Giant Cell Arteritis
If you are diagnosed with polymyalgia, your physician will likely want to monitor you for giant cell arteritis. If you begin to experience symptoms such as jaw pain, headaches that are persistent and new, scalp tenderness or blurred or double vision, it is important to see your doctor as soon as possible.
These signs are indications that you may be developing giant cell arteritis. If your doctor suspects that this is the case, a biopsy of one of your temple arteries will be ordered. The procedure is done under local anesthesia, and the sample is evaluated for signs of inflammation.
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