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The truth about headaches: How giant cell arteritis can put your life in crisis.
Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA), also known as temporal arteritis, is an inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting large blood vessels. Although its name may lead people to believe that it has nothing to do with headaches, one of the main symptoms of the disease is severe headaches, which can put the sufferer's daily life into jeopardy.
This disease usually occurs in people over the age of 50, and is more common in women than men.
Symptoms of giant cell arteritis
In addition to headache, common symptoms of GCA include temporal pain, flu-like symptoms, double vision, and difficulty opening your mouth. Because GCA can cause vision loss, the timing of diagnosis and treatment is critical. Complications of the disease may include blockage of the optic artery leading to blindness, or even aortic dissection and aneurysm.
Pathological mechanism
Although the specific cause of GCA is unknown, its pathological mechanism suggests that inflammation of small blood vessels can affect the walls of large arteries. This usually affects the arteries around the head and neck and may also affect the arteries in the chest.
During the pathological process of GCA, dendritic cells recruit T cells and macrophages on the blood vessel wall to form granulomatous infiltration, which is the main cause of arterial wall damage.
Diagnosis process
Diagnosing GCA usually requires medical records and systematic symptom analysis, plus blood tests and imaging tests. If GCA is suspected, doctors will perform a temporal artery biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, but in 10 percent of patients, a temporal artery biopsy may be normal even if they have GCA.
Treatment Plan
Treatment for GCA usually involves high doses of steroids, such as prednisone or prednisone, which can quickly reduce the inflammatory response in blood vessels. In most cases, patients will need to gradually reduce the dose of steroids after symptoms resolve to avoid side effects.
In the short term, side effects of steroids include mood swings and osteonecrosis, while long-term use may lead to serious problems such as obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
Impact on quality of life
GCA has a profound impact on patients’ quality of life. Many patients report the fear of losing their sight, severe pain, and feelings of powerlessness as one of life's most difficult challenges. Recent studies have shown that GCA-specific effects may not be measured by general health questionnaires, making the need for health-related quality of life measures of GCA increasingly evident.
Statistics and Prevention
According to statistics, approximately one in every 15,000 people over the age of 50 is affected by this disease each year. The disease is particularly common in people over the age of 70, with a higher incidence among Nordic ethnic groups.
Early identification of GCA is particularly important, and patients with multiple symptoms should seek medical treatment promptly. Early treatment can significantly reduce the risk of vision loss and improve the patient's quality of life.
Have you ever considered the possible health risks behind your headaches?
