Day 10 post-op from intraoral resection of the styloid process w/tonsillectomy.
Still pain in the left ear and still needing pain pills except when out and about.
Now I know why the first ENT is saw said - "Two weeks of pain."
I will say from yesterday to now, there is just the tiniest bit of less pain, which is good.
There was no problem in the Doc writing me a note to come back in two weeks to reevaluate before going back to work. I knew I would need those three weeks. My job is very physically demanding - so day at a time.
I asked my Doc if he thought this could help my (tmjd) muscle, and I don't think he has much hope on that. He said...... maybe for fibro and one other thing. I wonder... has anyone been helped of these issues?
Thank you all again for being such a great, supportive group.
I had the styloid growing into my tonsil bed, tonsils gone in 1957. The knot in my throat was huge. In 2011, I started having what appeared to be terrible TMJ, that is trigeminal neuralgia, or facial pain all from my ear to may jaw on the left side. The pain was unbearable all on the outside of my face. I went to a TMJ specialist and he gave me a bite guard. It took away 95% of the pain. Understand, that I had the Eagles and had been diagnosed in 2010, but because of Thyroid cancer diagnosis at the same time, I had put off the Eagles surgery. Fast forward to now. In 2013, the throat pain and ear pain were so bad, I had the surgery for the Eagles. took more like 11 weeks to even turn the corner. I still used the bite guard for a time then recently, I had gum surgery and took out the bite guard for a week. Two things that I discovered, the severe acid reflux that I was having ( I had reflux for 11years, but began having very severe issues and had not noticed when exactly), and my TMJ symptoms were gone. In fact, when I tried to use the bite guard later, I noticed that the bite guard was making my jaw hurt more and causing my acid reflux. I went back to the TMJ doctor for two more adjustments in the last year, but found that I no longer need the bite guard and no longer have TMJ discomfort or severe acid reflux. This did not happen right away, but I believe that the TMJ pain had been caused by the Eagles, and that once all the nerves calmed down, the TMJ sypmtoms did. The piece of styloid that was removed was 2.8 cm and very thick. My doctor's comment after surgery, " I removed a pencil". I have also noticed that the creases in my face from my eye to my lower cheek on that side are gone and my jaw muscle on that side has filled in more and my smile is not as crooked.
I still have a bad bite, but I can tell you that I never needed anything for facial and jaw pain before 2011. I think from pictures that I had Eagles as early as my 20's and I am in my 60's now. It just never showed any symptoms or didn't grow drasticaly until the last 10 years. It definitely affected the growth and strength of my jaw muscle on that side, though I may be the only one to notice the changes. I see it in pictures and in the mirror. I have not used my bite guard since last May 2014, so hang in there.
Thank you for sharing your story. Some are similar to mine. I had left-side thyroidectomy (cancerous) this past Sept.
My other Doc (cranio-facial/tmjd) and I think the ES may have contributed to that muscle that tightens up so tight he has to manually go in and stretch it to allow things to sit as they should. I'd had xrays 4.5 yrs. back and ES didn't show up then.
ps.. I, too, am in my (very early) 60s.
We compared. I'd always said if there was even a smidgeon of a chance that ES is causing this, I will have to go for it.
I wonder why this intense pain deep inside the ear, it feels like, persists. I know it's only been 10 days.. (grin), I just had to take more pain medication.
As time goes by, I hope to see certain types of improvement. Maybe by having that tonsil out, something else may improve.. (sinus issues). When the muscle is so tight, it even affects the position of my left eye and besides looking awful, it affects my vision. Doc H/jaw noticed it yesterday - my eye - before and then after him manipulation.
I guess we should see this time as something to look forward to.. our healing.