HEADACHES MAY BE CAUSED BY ARTERY INFLAMMATION.(LIFE-HEALTH)

Byline: PAUL G. DONOHUE, M.D.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I had a headache for more than a month. I used every headache medicine I could get my hands on, but none worked well for me. I have finally seen my doctor. He thinks I have temporal arteritis and has put me on prednisone. The headache went away in a matter of days. I am to have a biopsy of an artery. Please explain all this. Will taking the prednisone affect the biopsy results? -- B.W. DEAR B.W.: Temporal arteritis, also known as giant cell arteritis, is an inflammation of arteries. One that is often involved is the temporal artery, the artery at the side of the head in the temple area. This disorder strikes older …