I GOT IT!!! FINALLY!!! It’s finally confirmed! EAGLES SYNDROME!!! It’s clear on the CT Scan! I’m NOT CRAZY!! 4 years of pain nd Drs and being dismissed!!! Tears of Joy!!
It’s a very long CT scan results but the short of it is: can any help me to understand better. I get most of it. Just not all!
Time to celebrate!
Well, it’s good news that it confirms what you thought, a big step forward!
Any ideas what you’ll do now? Did you see anyone today to get your results, have you got a doctor in mind to see about surgery?
Excellent news, we have styloid processes on both sides originating from the base of the skull roughly 1 inch in from our ear holes ( Stress Roughly !!). These have a predefined normal length which can, in time, evolve and lengthen either on one side or both. There is no 100% clear cause of this but this doesn’t really matter as you’ve got them, whatever the cause.
The stylohyoid ligament attaches to the styloid process and then to the hyoid bone in the throat in a male this is known otherwise as the Adams apple, in the female it is there or there abouts but should be palpable. These ligaments can acquire calcification by themselves but mainly in association with elongated processes, it varies in length and girth from person to person but the current thought is as the process /ligament calcify further it can divert the structures from their natural course and then compress cranial nerves as well as arteries in the neck which then produces a variety symptoms. It is when the appearances on C.T. are linked to symptoms that it is referred to, by the “believers” , as Eagles syndrome.
Hope I haven’t been over elaborate or simplistic, but hope I have answered any missing links in the CT report and into your understanding of your newly diagnosed ES.
Good Luck !
Graeme
So happy for you! Now onward to taking care of yourself! Praying you will find the best possible surgeon to get rid of those little devils!!
GREAT NEWS that your search is over. Now time to prepare for your next steps. When I got my report I “Googled” any doctor word that I didn’t understand to help myself deeply understand what was being said about me. It helped my become a stronger advocate for myself to get me what I needed. I also researched the heck out of Eagles both in this site and the internet.
Let us know what your next steps are and what we can do to support you!
Seamom
I really want to see Dr. Samji but I have insurance challenges. I need all of the recommended Drs to say that they cant manage my surgery in order to go out of network nd especially out of State. Not sure how that will get accomplished especially being in Chicago land. Heavy sigh 
I’m UK, so can’t give any advice about challenging insurance decisions, I’m afraid. But seamom is going through this situation at the moment; maybe you could ask for advice?
Hi LaughingRocks2
As you know I ended up going to Dr Samji, out of plan for my HMO. I decided to risk getting a good surgeon over the assurance of being covered for a surgeon I didn’t feel had a good handle on my case. In California [maybe in your state too] there is a State Independent Medical Review process. You can ask them to review your case, and make your plan/ insurance company allow you to get care out side of your plan. I suggest you look up “Independent Medical Review” for your state.
Thank you very much Seamom!! I have a day off tomorrow, Monday, so I can look into that. I really appreciate your advice and support!! Today was a really bad day with agonizing pain!! But I know I’m on this path for a reason!! I’ll let you know if I find anything out!! Any other tid bits is fully appreciated 
Checking in…how are you doing?
Awww Seamom!! You’re so sweet! 
I’m really bad at communication! Especially since my communication is that I’ve been asking my prayer group regularly lately for prayer since my pain level has increased. So I don’t wanna complain everywhere 
It seems as the Medical Review Board at my GPs office has gotten a Case Manager for my case as of Thursday. I was sent to several Dr in the area that are happy to say that they can’t help me so they are advancing my case. Nd I’m grateful so that they have to send me to Samji!
FB reminded me the other day that it was a year ago that a Dr thought I had ES! So here I am a year later still fighting this insurance battle nd being in pain about 4 1/2 years!! This agonizing pain is becoming almost more than I can bear! I’m not sure how to continue! It increased about 3 weeks ago. My Dr is putting me on some allergy meds since my ear drum is a little irritated.
I asked my Dr why is nerve pain so agonizing? Completely different than other pain??!!
I did contact the review board as you suggested nd they said that was if the insurance actually denied me nd I want to submit a formal complaint. It sounds like it’s too early for that since my case is still at the Drs medical review board!? I don’t know!
I started reading on here about after surgery nd it has me a little freaked out! But I’d rather know than not.
Thank you so much for reaching out! I sincerely appreciate it!!! 
Don’t be freaked out about the op; recovery after surgery varies a bit, but if you think about it most of us opt for the second side to be done, so that says something, doesn’t it! You’re probably in so much pain that it’ll be a breeze compared to ES pain! Good luck with your appeals process.
GOD DID IT!!! HE DID IT!!! I’m crying!!! The referral went through!!! I’m approved for an office visit for Dr. Samji!!! Praise GOD!!!
I am sooo overwhelmed with joy!!! Wow!!
Thanks for your prayers!!!
Really great news- praise God, He is good indeed! Hope that all goes well and you don’t have to wait long for an appt. Let us know how you get on! 
That is such excellent news! God always comes through for us even if it’s not in the exact way we ask.
Thanks! You ladies mean so much to me! I value your support!
The side of my neck has gotten more tender nd has more pressure but I’m more curious about that it is a little swollen in that area. I didn’t have swelling before so I’m curious about that. I know, all symptoms are different but it’s ok that I’m not too concerned? I have also had a little sore throat too but they don’t seem to go together. Any thoughts?
Neck swelling & sore throat can go together as ES symptoms along w/ worsening tenderness. I had all that. Again, it just seems to depend on what the styloids/calcified ligaments are pushing on. It might be more pronounced some days than others. I wouldn’t be alarmed. I’d have days where I felt great & days where I was sure my styloids were poking through into my throat & poking out behind my tongue (they never did), or through my neck, or my eyeball might pop out. It was just too weird. Thankfully surgery cured all those symptoms.
HA! Feels like my neck is going to explode.
I haven’t had this feeling before. I was able to, basically, handle my other baseline pain but this one is completely annoying nd I can’t get comfortable. Thankfully I’m closing in on the end of the race!
Sorry I have been away on vacation. LR2 - what do you mean by, Feels like my neck is going to explode? Can you describe it with more detail? If it is vascular, could need to re-see your doctor verses if it is inflammation [remember we are not doctors].
Hi Seamom, I hope you had a nice vacation! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to sound so dramatic! I was so uncomfortable with new pressure in my neck that I probably shouldn’t have said it feels like it’s going to explode. I appreciate all the wisdom and knowledge on this site nd I know that it’s for support nd not medical advice. I was so uncomfortable with the pressure that It seemed that any further pressure would cause it to explode.
I did have an echo done on my cartoid arteries several months ago and they didn’t see anything out of the norm. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if tgere really is just a smidge of interference from the Styloid Process.
I’m still quite uncomfortable with the new type of pain but I’m hoping that it either changes back or I get used to it quickly before I can have surgery.
Thanks Seamom, I appreciate your concern!!
