Temporal Artery

The temporal artery is one of the main arteries in the head and is a continuation of the carotid artery. It mainly functions to allow blood flow to and from the brain. It is thought by some that the immune system, if properly stimulated to do so, can initiate a disease process called temporal arteritis. This is simply an inflammation of the artery, which can lead to swelling of the face, bulging appearance of the eyes, fever and severe migraines. Diagnosis involves taking a biopsy and can be treated with steroids.