I have been told IJV compression by the experts in my country does not cause swallowing issues, yet there is published evidence for eagles that it can? A neurologist originally diagnosed me based on going hoarse when I raised my arm above my head to do things like cleaning or pick up very heavy items, he suspected eagles and IJV compression was diagnosed. My cranial nerves are affected. The symptoms in my neck - it feels like it’s stuck, have caused me to pause surgery because I think the risk is too high atm considering the funny angle they put your neck in during surgery.
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I’m sorry that you’re being given differing opinions! IJV compression itself doesn’t cause swallowing difficulties technically, but it depends on what’s causing the compression, for example some people have IJV compression caused by extra large C1 transverse process… But when the styloids are causing IJV compression, then this is Eagles Syndrome, so other ‘classic’ ES symptoms are common as well, and swallowing issues is the most well known, so I’m bemused that you were told this! The swallowing issues can be caused by compression of the vagus nerve and the glossopharyngeal nerve, both of which are commonly affected by the styloids. Your hoarseness could be caused by the vagus nerve being irritated as well.
Feeling that your neck is stiff and stuck is common with ES, lack of range of movement is regularly seen, and members often comment about how this improves with surgery, so I wouldn’t let this put you off surgery. With ES surgery they would (hopefully) be used to seeing patients with limited ROM…
Who have you seen for diagnosis/ possible surgery? Quite a few members from Australia have seen Prof Elliott/ Dr Rao for IJV compression, if you haven’t seen them it might be worth getting a referral?
A/Prof Michael Elliott, ENT, Unit 211/300 Pacific Hwy, Crows Nest NSW 2065.
ph# +61 2 8355 7940 [Operates at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital/ or Concord/ or privately at The Mater(?) with Dr Michael Halmagyi or Dr. Rao (Neurolosurgeons) and Dr Jeff Parker (Radiologist)]
Dr. Prashanth Rao https://www.brainandspinesurgery.com.au
I hope that you can get some treatment…
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The head is just turned to the left or the right for ES surgery. Because the patient is asleep & muscles are very relaxed, the head is easily turned the necessary direction to expose the surgical site i.e. it isn’t forced or unnatural. Try not to let the concern of surgical head position delay your surgery because, as @Jules said, quite a number of our members have commented on how much more freedom they felt with head/neck turning once their styloid(s) was/were gone.
Here’s a recent post where that’s mentioned:
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Thanks for your reply. Those are the specialists I have seen. I am getting checked out for AAI and if that’s normal it has to be a mix of the styloids and C1 doing it. But how to get them to understand is the question. I’m not rushing into surgery, I need to be safe, they were also going to do the other side not the side i’m having significant issues with which is a problem.
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Sometimes the doctors will decide which side to do surgery on based on which side is the dominant jugular vein & if they feel that this is the one which could make more difference to blood flow when decompressed, rather than the side a patient feels is most symptomatic, so maybe this is why they want to do the other side first?
Some of our other Australian members have mentioned other specialists to help with CCI:
Dr Dan Bates in Melbourne also does PRP injections & works with Dr Rao. (platelet rich plasma)
Dr Jeni Saunders https://www.drjenisaunders.com.au muscular skeletal specialist, in contact with Dr Rao.
And @Emerald suggested Dr Geoffrey Parker, private neuro with special interest in IIH & CSF leaks, if this is something you want to look into:
Dr Geoffrey Parker | I-MED Radiology Network
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