Inflamed neck arteries

[Totie]

Can you shed any light on inflamed neck arteries. My primary dr. told me yesterday that my neck arteries are inflamed and has put me on prednisone for now. I will go see a cardiologist next week. She did do an EKG and my HR was normal. I have burning stabbing pain under my jaw line, entire neck sides, throat sides and behind my ears, the pain runs all the way to the back of the head. They did an MRI of the neck and everything was okay. But when she felt my neck under my jaw line, it hurts when she just touches the area. She says she is pretty sure it is inflamed arteries.
What can you tell me about this issue?

[Totie]

Thanks i will when i go next to the cardiologist next week.  Do you happen to know how long someone has to stay on prednisone for this condition?

Again, thanks.

[bluecheese]

its very commonly performed,  ask about it

[bluecheese]

sed rate is a cheap blood test that shows the level of inflammation in  your body.  if it is normal, good,   if it is high,  you will need more tests to narrow it down as the sed rate (esr) is non specific

[Totie]

Thanks for replying....

She did not tell me about a sed rate? What is that? She told me it was not my lmyph nodes, that is what i thought it was as well. I have been having these symptoms for a month now, they are hard lumps. I should have asked more questions but since she said my EKG was okay I figured everything was okay, until i got a call about having to see a cardiologist. I had been diagnosed with chondritis six months ago. Is a sed rate a blood test?

[Darcy Green Conaway, MD]

I think it sounds like it may be inflamed lymph nodes. Lymph nodes run along the jaw line and can be very tender when inflamed. If that is what it is it should resolve in about 7-10 days. I would start with something simple, like a sed rate as the previous person mentioned. It will help your physician think of certain inflammatory states if positive, depending on how high it is

[bluecheese]

what's your SED rate?