Can an accurate diagnosis be made from scans that are 2 or 3 years old? Or could one expect the styloids to grow significantly in that amount of time?
Styloid growth is unpredictable, but yes, they can grow significantly in that amount of time. What could be telling is whether or not your symptoms have gotten worse as time has passed. If so additional growth may have occurred.
If your 2-3 year old scan shows styloid elongation/stylohyoid ligament calcification then it’s possible to get diagnosed using them, however, your diagnosing doctor may send you for updated scans to see what the current situation is in your neck.
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Thank you. I saw a doctor who only had old scans to look at. Based on those, one side is elongated but not super long, the other side less so. My symptoms are equally bad on both sides and it surprised me that both weren’t the same. I was wondering if new scans might show longer growth. That’s why I asked what other’s experience might have shown.
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It could be that the styloids have grown longer in that time, but other things can affect symptoms, like ageing as the connective tissue changes, so it can be enough to alter the angle of the styloids. It’s such a tight, cramped space in the neck that even a small shift can bring the styloids into contact with different nerves. Also posture can make symptoms worse- lots of members have lost the lordotic curve in their necks (military neck), which again causes a shift in the position of the styloids, the hunched over position with head forward which is common if you’re looking at a computer or phone can make things worse too! Or a prolapsed disc in the cervical vertebrae, I think that’s what changed my symptoms.
If you have symptoms on both sides, it could be that the styloid is angled, or very thick, so just because it’s not super long it doesn’t mean it’s not the issue.
Do you have copies of your imaging? But would be helpful if you could get a new CT done…
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