Oh! And the strangest symptom is I swallow when I turn my head!
Many of the docs think itâs psychosomatic but those that know eagleâs say the only way to know is to take them out. Do you think venogram or arteriogram makes sense? Cognetti said no.
Hi Jenniferobel,
Dr. Samji has more experience in that he has specifically done more ES surgeries 400-500. I think both he & Dr. Cognetti could handle the challenge of a complex case as they are both experienced & skilled skull based surgeons.
I was able to do activities of daily living one week after surgery but my full energy & âjoie de vivreâ didnât return until 2 months after surgery. Many of my symptoms were gone by the two month mark but others took longer to go.
In some respects having ES surgery is a sort of panacea. Once the styloids are gone & the irritated nerves & vascular tissues can heal, the many symptoms of ES disappear, or at least minimize, so life can be lived more normally once again.
It does sound like you may be having some vascular compression when your neck is flexed thus itâs safer to keep your head out of that position. If you follow-up w/ Dr. Samji, he will only want your CT scan w/o contrast & the radiology report. He will also tell you a venogram/arteriogram are unnecessary.
Yes, many doctors think ES is psychosomatic because they have no clue that elongated styloids &/or calcified stylohyoid ligaments wreak havoc w/ the cranial nerves in the neck. Most donât think about the connection of the symptoms to cranial nerve function. If they did, they would understand the complexity of ES & the reason for the diverse symptoms.
WowâŚso much to wrap your head around.