• Temporal arteritis is a chronic inflammatory disease involving large arteries of the carotid system, particularly in those with a prominent elastica, occurring primarily in the elderly. This disorder commonly causes pain on mastication in the masseter, temporals, and tongue muscles. Estimated prevalence is about 1/1000 in patients > 50 yo with a slight predilection in females. Symptoms typically include a severe headache, scalp tenderness, and visual disturbances. It can cause blindness secondary to ischemic optic neuropathy in less than 20% of patients; but this occurrence is very rare after high-dose steroid treatment.