Can you please tell me something about symptoms and possible treatment/surgery and possible result of it?

General
1

I'm almost 4 months after cervical spine surgery ( anterior discectomy and fusion - c5 c6 level ). My cervical spine is definetely damaged but it seems that is not a main issue right now. Anyway, I had problems with my neck for about seven years and finally had to go under the knife. My left arm was numb and there was a big strenght loss but it's better now. However I decided to undergo surgery not because of this numbness and strenght loss. At the end of 2013 new symtomps started, and spine surgery didn't help whit that.

First of all about month ago I was finaly diagnosed with eagle syndrome. I have it on my right side.

My symptoms:

- Vertigo ( it was last year, everything started with that but it won't happen again after last year episode)

- Sometimes I have dizziness when I turn my head right ( my surgeon said that it can't be beacause my spine, especially after this surgery

- hyperacusis in my right ear ( This is my main problem. I had all laryngological tests, CT of my ear, MRI of my head and neck and there is no reason of this directly in my ear or brain ). I've read that hyperacusis can'y be caused by eagle syndrome but maybe someone here know other story

- pulsating tinnitius i my right ear ( it's not all the time, happens only sometimes, somtimes when I talk, sometimes when I turn my head quickly )

- fullness in my ears

- sinusitis

- feeling that I have something in my throat ( sometimes little trouble with swallowing )

- cracking of upper parts of my neck ( only on the right side ). First I thought that this is an instability of my neck but x ray in motion showed that there is none. Is it posible that elongated styloid occasionally hits my spine when I'm moving my head?

- direct pain of my neck, at the nerve plexus spot on the right side.

- little eyeball pain ( from behind )

- tingling of my face from occiput to forehead

- sometimes blured vision

- floaters in my vision

- sometimes headache of one side of my head

Do you ever heard about this kind of symptoms conected to eagle syndrome? Especially hyperacusis and tinnitius and sometimes even problems with eyes? Did surgery was helpful and resolved problems?

I heard that this is less invasive method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czO8PFCdkWk

Do any of you have any experience whit this? What methods of surgery are available? Is every method is possible with every elongated styloid or is it depends on type of elongated styloid and shape of it?

Thank you in advance for any informations.

344-Zrzutekranu20140422o13.04.09.png (313 KB)
2

Very possible that many symptoms are related to EaGles.. Possible that not all would be related. Not sure about the hyperacusis, but some have had relief from tinnitus after surgery. The surgery you are showing is the intraoral surgery. It is less invasive in some ways and highly effective if the surgeon knows how to remove the styloid properly and does not leave a jagged edge. Risks are deep tissue infection and damage to carotid artery or nerves. The other is external and risks are nerve damage, but the doctor has a better view of what he is doing, Most doctors prefer the one you are showing. Hope others on the forum give you more answers.

Welcome to this forum.

3

Your symptoms are similar to mine.
My styloid was compressing my internal jugular vein and pushing on my C1 vertebrae.
I had styloid removed from base of skull and part of c1 shaved down.

4

I had 2 migraine auras before I had my styloid removed. Since then none. I also had twitching in the eye on the affected side. That is also better. I have neck problems now since my surgery so I believe they are related in many ways. It just makes you wonder what else is going on in our bodies that we don’t know about.still have the fullness in the ear. I am not trying to complain…I would do it again as the pain in my throat was the worst symptom for me. Good luck in your journey! Try putting some Oragel in your throat and see if it takes some of the symptoms away temporarily…if you want. It numbs the nerve.

5

Thank you very much for quick respone.
Ruth could you please tell me did you have hyperacusis and/or tinnitiud before surgery?
I’m not sure if I understand what “c1 shaved down” means ( sorry, my english is not so good :confused: ). Did doctor had to do something with your spine during the surgery?
Anyway do you have any symptoms after the surgery or they gone?
Ruth and Happy1300 - what kind of surgery you had? Was it transoral? Is it painful? How the healing is going after that? I’m vocalist, can it be dageroys for me? Would you recomend a doctor for this kind of surgery?
Thank you in advance.

6

… one more question - is jugular vein is the same as carotid artery? ( I don't speak english very well :/ )

7

Hey there.

I can confirm that i have all those symptoms and more, except i haven't had vertigo as far as i'm concerned. Maybe i have but i can't remember as i've had eagle syndrome since i was very young.

Hopefully my upcoming surgery can resolve most of the symptoms. I'd love to get rid of the neck pain the most.

8

KenD do you have hyperacusis? Do you have any doctor that you can recomend?

Wish you all the best and hope that your surgery will resolve all of your symptoms.

9

I haven't done any tests to confirm that i have it, but i can confirm hyper sensitivity for my left ear compared to my right. For example if i want to talk to someone on the phone, i can't with my left ear, it hurts too much.