on the third image down, it looks like the styloid process is a bit longer than average. then on the 4th image, & the last one you can see a small patch that could be a bit of calcification on the stylo-hyoid ligament; it’s not clear in all the images & could be an artefact otherwise.
Thank you @Jules.
Yes it’s not very clear in all the images. My left side is very clear to view. I couldn’t see the right side at all. May be I should try in some other angle. Not sure if my jaw covered the styloids or the view is not proper.
No Nucca is a different process. The Blair technique is more effective. Longer holds and healing times are significantly shorter.
I also see calcification in the styloid-hyoid ligament as well. The radiation is low for the type of scan you did it’s possible that the calcified ligament is blocked by something else. I call them ghost images. I had one on my right side as well.
I agree w/ Jules & ESinLV. Your right styloid does look a little long & as I pointed out before, there does appear to be a section of calcified ligament below your right styloid. Unfortunately, your jaw bone blocks a good view of that. I’ve marked what I think Jules & ESinLV saw as possible ligament calcification (or artifact). If you do have even a small section of calcified ligament, it could be causing or contributing to your nerve pain.
@Isaiah_40_31
I will try to get some clear images from another angle.
I had to keep rotating it to get a good view.
How do you say my styloids looks little long? Which image shows that?
Sorry, this image shows the styloid well, & I think it looks a bit longer than average…& maybe a bit wide at the top?
The one Isaiah labelled is the one I think shows potential calcification.
@Jules ,
This is my left side image. This is clear to view. And it’s not very elongated as per the report. It says borderline top normal.
I couldn’t view my right side styloids clearly like this. Have to try few more angles.
On those bottom two images, it’s hidden by the cervical vertebral process I think, so that’s why it can’t be seen clearly. Occasionally the C1 process can be elongated too, & the styloid process can trap nerves / blood vessels between them.
Oh ok. Thanks for this information @Jules.
I don’t know about C1 process elongation. I have to ask someone about it . Is it a cause for eagles as well?
A question to all:
How do we know if the styloids process trapping the nerves and blood vessels? How to identify that? Whether doctors will be able to see that in the ct scan of neck? My ent reviewed my scan and he said it’s not eagles syndrome and blame my muscles. He said it’s muscular.
I think I have to see another ent who specializes in vascular components.
I would think that the radiographer should see if the cervical processes are elongated, not to say yours are, just commenting that sometimes it happens alongside ES. It doesn’t cause ES but can complicate it if the styloids are long & angled, closing the gap between the two structures. You can see if the styloids are compressing blood vessels with a CT with contrast, the only way to see nerves clearly as far as I’m aware is with a FIESTA MRI, which is very rarely available though. Ordinary MRIs can occasionally show nerves, but as the styloids don’t show up well on them you can’t see any compression.
You can tell if it’s worth considering vascular ES & pushing for a CT with contrast based on your symptoms; dizziness, passing out, head pressure etc are common ones, there’s more details in the Newbies Guide Section, here’s a link:
ES Information: Common Symptoms And Possible Explanations For Them - Welcome / Newbies Guide to Eagle Syndrome - Living with Eagle
Thanks for the link @Jules . I will check it out.
I have already taken a CT with contrast Jules. I don’t know why I need to get another one with contrast. I don’t know what’s missing in the current scan though.
Thanks for letting me know about fiesta MRI. Haven’t heard about it. I have an order of normal brain mri from the neuro. I don’t know what’s the difference between the normal mri and fiesta MRI.
Do we need to ask for fiesta MRI? Is it a type of an MRI to check for nerves??
Sorry, if you’ve already had a CT with contrast you wouldn’t need another one…that would show if any blood vessels are compressed in a head neutral position.
The FIESTA MRI is a more detailed scan that is supposed to be quite good for showing the cranial nerves, but it isn’t that widely available. I wouldn’t know whether you could get one easily or how expensive it would be, you’d have to see a Neurologist I guess to get referred for one…I can’t remember if you’ve tried any nerve pain medications?
Thanks @Jules for this information.
I saw a neurologist before and he put me on carbamazepine. Took it for few weeks. No changes. So my PCP put me on Cymbalta after that. That doesn’t make any difference too. OMFS whom I have seen told me to stop Cymbalta and he put me on muscle relaxers tizanidine. I was on that for one and a half months earlier.
My PCP prescribed Amitriptyline this week. I updated her my progress and she said I didn’t try amitriptyline and lyrica yet. She wanted me to try with low dose of Amitriptyline first. She put me on 25mg. I took the first dose last night and that tiny pill touched my tongue by mistake while swallowing.
My tongue was numb immediately. It was there for 45mins and went down. Anyone in this medicine have seen this side effect?
Yet to see some changes in the pain with this medicine. I hope it will help with my pain and symptoms.
I have an mri order for brain. Not fiesta MRI.
I take Amitriptyline, 20mg, it works well for me & helps with sleep too. Can’t say I’ve ever noticed numbness like that, weird!
Yes. Looks like it’s common if the medicine touches the tongue while swallowing. I made sure the other days that the medicine doesn’t touch the tongue and I didn’t get any numbness.
It makes sleep through the night. I usually wake up in the night with pain a few times. It happened every night. I didn’t wake up in the night with pain with this medicine and the pain is back once I wake up. No change in that yet. Have to wait and see if it helps.
It can take a couple of weeks to build up to help, but if you can sleep that’s a plus!