Carotid pain

Hi, before I was diagnosed with ES and had a styloidectomy, one of the first symptoms was carotid pain. Im about 2 years post op from having my right styloid removed and its back to annoy me again.

Does anyone else have that very specific pain?

The pain isnt constant, it pops up ~monthly and goes from one side to the other and lasts about a week. Sensitive to light pressure and will radiate into jaw and eye, kind or a searing, hot pain that pulses.

That’s rough for you…it could possibly be due to a few things:

  1. If you had an elongated styloid or calcified ligaments it could be these causing cross-over pain, sounds daft, but it has happened! And as you mention it goes from one side to the other this could be a possibility…
  2. It could be scar tissue irritating the nerves in the area or the carotid sheath- some members have had scar tissue cause adhesions in the area which have needed another surgery to remove them.
  3. It could be that the styloid has re-grown again after surgery which does occasionally happen too.
    If you’re able to get a CT done, preferably one with contrast, it might show if it is re-growth or if the other side is elongated, but it won’t show if there is scar tissue unfortunately.
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