The following symptoms and complaints may indicate giant cell arteritis (RZA):
- due toInvolvement of the cranial vessels (approximately 70% of patients):
- Severe constant headache (60-90% of those affected); hemifacial or bilateral, especially bitemporal (in the temporal region; tension-type headache) – the initial symptom in 48% of cases; usually responds poorly to analgesics (pain relievers)
- Pain when chewing (chewing pain; Claudicatio masticatoria [pathognomonic symptom / characteristic of the disease]: chewing claudication; due toischemia (reduced blood flow) of the masticatory muscles), tongue pain, swallowing claudication.
- Hypersensitivity of the scalp (“scalp tenderness”) eg when combing hair.
- Eye involvement (in 70% of patients).
- Eye pain
- Diplopia (double vision, double images), due to muscle, cranial nerve, or brainstem involvement
- Visual disturbances, e.g., amaurosis fugax (transient blindness; regression of blindness within minutes).
- Sensitive temporal arteries (temporal artery).
- Pressurization, nodules in the area of the temporal arteries, possibly even pulselessness of the same.
- Cerebral ischemia (due to inflammatory involvement of the vertebral, basilar or carotid supply area), in 3-4% of cases.
- due toInvolvement of large vessels (aorta and aortic branches):
- Wg. Polymyalgia rheumatica (RZA is associated with polymyalgia rheumatica in more than 50% of cases): Myalgia (muscle pain), proximally emphasized stiffness in the neck, shoulder and pelvic girdle.
- Polyneuropathy – occurs in about a quarter of those affected.
- Depression
The following general symptoms may occur wg systemic inflammation:
- Fever
- Night sweats (night sweats)
- Fatigue
- Anorexia (loss of appetite)
- Weight loss
- Anemia (anemia)
