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Suggest Treatment For Persistent Headaches

Posted on Sat, 29 Jul 2017

Question: My doctor suspects that my headaches might be temporal arthritis, has been treating them as migraines with no improvement. My symptoms are more consistent with temporal arthritis than with migraines. So far he has only done one test, the sediment rate test, which was negative. My question is could it still be temporal arteritis even with a negative sediment rate test. Also he prescribes the pain medication Hydrocodone/apap and muscle relaxers for back pain that I have. Theses seem to make the headaches worse, is there a possible connection with these meds and making temporal arthritis headaches worse.

Answered by Dr. Dr. U N Sahoo (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Giant Cell/Temporal arteritis

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for your question on HealthcareMagic & I understand your concern

With such a presentation in my clinic, I would do CRP test along with ESR and on MRI to confirm if it is Temporal arteritis.ESR is a non-specific test so negative does not mean you have no[ arteritis]. Regarding treatment discuss with your treating doctor about taking steroid [prednisone], and after few days you will feel better.

Do little life style change like this:-

1)Eat a balanced diet containing fresh fruits and vegetables. Try to limit salt, sugar and alcohol. Do take 1200mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D daily.

2)Make a plan for exercise regularly at least 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening and gradually increase your time.

So nothing to be worried at all and no need of any painkiller

Hope that helps, Please let me know if you have any further questions before meeting your primary care Doctor.

Thanks and wish you a good day

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana