Current update from the newbie & my path

I agree with Jules’ assessment of your styloids - Thick, left is pointed & both look fairly angled. As vdm says, in the bottom image your styloid does appear close to the transverse process of C-1 which could limit neck mobility & potentially cause other problems. I agree also that your natural neck curve is absent which may be as a result of ES &/or other lifestyle practices (lots of daily computer & cell phone time for example). It seems we’ve had a number of members w/ that problem recently.

vdm has given some good information regarding helpful pre-op & post op therapies. Just make sure whatever you do, keep it w/in tolerable limits & quit anything that causes pain to flare immediately.

Looking forward to hearing how your consults go. I agree Dr. Omlie wouldn’t have agreed to see you if he didn’t feel you had a problem he could help you heal from.

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@Cuddles1959 -

Dr. Bunnell in your state has recently done surgery for several of our members. They have all had very positive reports about their surgeries. It would be worthwhile for you to contact his office for a consult. You’ll find his information in our current US Doctors List.

Thank you all for taking time to view and share your thoughts. This is so valuable to me and will help me ask the right questions.

I’m still a bit pessimistic that ES is what the problem is. I will indeed take all the necessary steps to make sure and thanks to @vdm, I’m also going to make an appt with an orthopedic doc just to gain more perspective and perhaps further diagnostics to help support whatever direction this ends up going.

I’ve spent much time reading here and have reviewed all the symptoms repeatedly. Perhaps from those who’ve been here far longer than I, could you please further share input on my symptom? Perhaps others have read something different deep in these threads that might apply or help in my search for answers.

They do align but at the same time they feel a bit vague compared to other symptoms shared here.

-very local to right in front of SCM & behind jaw curve
-feels more like a bad trigger point that’s pulling because it’s so local (but haven’t been able to get relief)
-that fun crackling sound like crumpling tissue paper with every head motion
-constant…all day every day
-wake up and the tension is felt…within an hour or two I begin to feel the nerve pain on tongue. Symptoms get worse as the day goes on.
-feels as though it’s pulling on my inner ear (I suppose I could also say my ear feels full)
-occasionally feels quite tender but I also spend a lot of time putting light pressure on the area
-any moderate strengthening makes it worse (often times with trigger points, this will occur…like strengthening a dysfunction)
-chewing usually provides some fair relief so I chew gum often