What are the symptoms of giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis)?
GCA symptoms are variable and may include any of the following.
- New onset headache (occurs in two-thirds of patients)
- Constitutional symptoms
- Jaw claudication
- Tongue claudication
- Scalp tenderness
- Arm claudication
- Visual disturbance including amaurosis fugax, diplopia or permanent vision loss.
- Symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica (including aching of the shoulder or hip girdle)
A markedly elevated ESR is usually seen, although giant cell arteritis is occasionally seen in patients with a normal ESR. Frequency of PMR and GCA increase with age and the conditions are essentially not seen in individuals under 50 years of age.
