A 78-year-old woman presents for evaluation with a severe un…
A 78-year-old woman presents for evaluation with a severe unilateral headache, jaw pain, and scalp tenderness. The patient states the headache is of a piercing quality; her jaw hurts only when she chews and feels better a few minutes after she stops chewing. Tenderness is present over the temporal artery on the same side as her headache, and prednisone is prescribed until the patient can see a specialist. Which of the following reasons is the major justification for beginning treatment with corticosteroids in a patient with this condition?