Whenever I am stressed out or having social anxiety, my throat hurts a lot more. I’ve been identified with Eagles syndrome and I’m trying to decide if I should do the surgery or not. It’s a dull pain / very tender all the time but gets worse with anxiety. I am new to this group and would appreciate all comments. Thank you so much.
Yes. But I kinda see it less as anxiety and more of all the stuff that goes with socializing, like speaking, facial expressions, neck movement, and breathing coordination. I’ve been off work for a month so I can get these surgeries done and its been a very comfortable month. This is definitely a surgery that has pros and cons. If throat pain is your only symptom you maybe able to do more conservative treatments like physical therapy for example. There is a possibility your styloids keep growing, but you know about it a lot earlier than most, which gives you more options. Lots of good info on this site
4 Likes
Anxiety is such a hard thing…it could partly be as @Andy89316 says, using your muscles with speaking etc, (many members find that speaking is something which aggravates their ES symptoms), but also a muscle tension thing if you are anxious- any muscle tension in your neck or shoulder can cause pain, and anxiety can cause that pain in the throat feeling, like when you’re trying not to cry? This post by @Skatkat might resonate with you:
Need to come clean…will anyone else…? - General - Living with Eagle
The styloids can irritate the vagus nerve too, which can also cause anxiety- is this a recent thing for you or have you been anxious a long time?
The surgery does have risks, and can be a tough recovery for some, so should be something you think seriously about…if you have symptoms worse when you’re anxious then maybe it might be worth getting some help with that & see if you can make symptoms bearable first before having surgery? Of course if you have other symptoms which are difficult to live with then that’s different…
Sending you a hug 
4 Likes
I get this as well, it’s getting worse for me too. I now find that I can’t swallow at all at times, my mouth feels dry and my whole jaw feels tense as well as the bit at the back of my neck where my skull meets my neck/c2 level. When I went to the dentist he said I looked like I was someone who was constantly clenching my jaw. I also notice that I push my jaw forward, it gets worse when I’m concentrating, my dentist called this “posturing”. I do think that this pushing forward of the jaw is causing a lot of the symptoms, when I push it forward and feel the back of my neck it tenses up at the base of my skull. Wherever I talk all of these symptoms get worse, I get stinging in my face and the muscles of my entire face feel tense. I feel like when I talk to people I kind of hold my jaw tense and I smile a lot which is actually nervousness/anxiety. I also hold my breath and really don’t relax or breathe. I did CBT for this but it hasn’t helped me unfortunately. I find it really hard to relax my throat and jaw.
Another issue I’m looking into is binocular vision disorder (BVD) which causes anxiety. I have been told I have a drift and a slight 4th nerve weakness of the right eye. It gets worse with age as the muscles weaken.
2 Likes
Thank you all so much for your very very helpful answers!! Anxiety causing a tensing of the muscles in my throat makes a lot of sense to me, as well as the fact that you are talking more, etc. A lot of times it happens before I get to the social event and then just gets worse as the event goes on… Physical Therapy for my throat did help but did not get rid of the pain. It just feels better when I am doing the actual physical therapy, but not after. I also had one superior laryngeal nerve block which helped for a couple of weeks, and then the pain came back again. I’m having a second shot in my neck next week with Dr. Akst, an ENT from John Hopkins (who questions whether or not I have Eagle syndrome, although he was the one who led me to Dr. Cognetti in Philadelphia). If I do surgery, it will be in January and so that gives me a little more time to continue with the shots and the Physical Therapy. Thanks again everyone!! This site is incredible and I have learned so much from reading about the different topics here!
3 Likes
I’m glad that you feel a bit more reassured, & putting off the surgery for a bit & trying the injections seems sensible
2 Likes
I go through the same thing , where stress/anxiety or even emotions make it worse.
Do you get a gagging / strangling sensation as well or just “soar”
3 Likes
Where did you have the second shot in your neck? Was it the superior laryngeal nerve block again or somewhere different? The superior laryngeal nerve block seems to help, especially with being able to inhale better and throat hypersensitivity. The throat tightness can come on rapidly for me, almost like an attack, and sometimes I feel like I panic before social events because I’m anticipating it happening from talking a lot/any additional stress so then my muscles get even tighter. I feel like the muscle tension in my throat and near the angles of my jaw is so elevated that it takes very little to cause issues. Thanks, and hope you’re doing better!
3 Likes
I get the gagging and strangling sensation. I say that it’s almost like a hyperactive gag reflex that’s triggered just by talking. It’s embarrassing because when it gets super bad, I feel like it makes my facial muscles spasm. I feel like I can’t swallow then either.
1 Like
Yeah for me talking triggers it, I can’t talk without chewing gum or mints or sipping drinks its so embarrassing. The sensation comes and goes with absolute 0 cause or reason, all I know is that anxiety / stress makes it worse (even though the anxiety is brought on by the sensation)
, excersise and talking.
The gagging sensation is the one thing I can’t handle of all the symptoms its overbearing.
3 Likes
Yes, I completely relate to that. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this too. It’s at least nice to know I’m not alone. Same, I keep mints and throat drops in my bag and pockets at all times and usually carry a water bottle (I try to take little sips but sometimes I can’t when it’s really bad; I’m afraid I’ll dribble in the middle of talking to someone). I hate that you never know when it’ll strike; it has hit me while driving and I have to pull over because I’m afraid I’ll pass out (I never have but the gagging can feel intense). I have to sit completely upright and not move abruptly while driving to minimize the risk.
2 Likes
Thanks so much and sorry about this delayed response. Yes it was the same shot as I had before, so my second superior laryngeal nerve block.
It really didn’t make much of a difference for more than a week or so, and then it went back to the same sore throat so now I have decided to have eagle syndrome surgery, which happens to be tomorrow morning in Philadelphia with Dr. Cognetti at the Jefferson University Hospital. Praying you are feeling better and get relief for your symptoms.
3 Likes
Thank you so much! I hope your surgery goes well tomorrow. Sending healing prayers your way.
3 Likes
@nancyh - I’ll be praying for you tomorrow, too.
2 Likes
Thanks so much Wendy! Xo
2 Likes
Best wishes for today @nancyh , praying for a successful surgery for you…let us know how you are when you can 
1 Like