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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Periodic Pain In Temples, Muscle Tightness Over Neck, Head And Upper Back, Ringing In Ears, Blurry Vision, Dizziness. Temporal Arthritis?

I have had pain in my temples off and on for a few months. It feels like my muscles are so tight around my neck , head, temples, and upper back. My ears ring, and sometimes my vision is a little blurry. I feel dizzy sometimes just from the tightness and temple pain. There are times that I feel my heart flutter , even if I m lying down. The arteries around my temples, down my neck, hurt and cause me to tense up. Does this sound like temporal arteritis? I just turned 60.
Mon, 7 Oct 2013
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Ophthalmologist,  's  Response
I would suggest you see a rheumatologist as this could be temporal (Giant Cell) arteritis. Typically the pain in the scalp is very severe, even combing your hair may be extremely painful. There may be pain in the jaw while chewing, malaise, weight loss and aches of the larger muscle groups near the hips and shoulders. There is a risk of permanent visual loss and therefore the urgency in seeking medical attention. Blood tests for inflammatory markers (ESR & CRP) will help confirm the diagnosis. As there is need for long term treatment with steroids or other medications, many specialists consider a temporal artery biopsy, to help with the diagnosis.
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Periodic Pain In Temples, Muscle Tightness Over Neck, Head And Upper Back, Ringing In Ears, Blurry Vision, Dizziness. Temporal Arthritis?

I would suggest you see a rheumatologist as this could be temporal (Giant Cell) arteritis. Typically the pain in the scalp is very severe, even combing your hair may be extremely painful. There may be pain in the jaw while chewing, malaise, weight loss and aches of the larger muscle groups near the hips and shoulders. There is a risk of permanent visual loss and therefore the urgency in seeking medical attention. Blood tests for inflammatory markers (ESR & CRP) will help confirm the diagnosis. As there is need for long term treatment with steroids or other medications, many specialists consider a temporal artery biopsy, to help with the diagnosis.