Hello, its getting closer to getting scans done for eagle syndrome and MRI for blood vessels. My main symptom is glossopharyngeal neuralgia shock/sharp pain in left tonsil area and occasional dull ache but have had a little burning but I will say I have bad acid reflux so sometimes I think that causes burn. I have been on Amitriptyline for a few years which has helped reduce the frequency and pain has been intermittent, but as im getting closer to hopefully figuring out whats exactly causing it. Well last few months I have had some slight pain in exact spot that it was on the original side. So im wondering if this seems more like a artery compression or eagle syndrome since it is possibly bilateral. I dont see too many zaps or shocks stories for eagle syndrome or maybe I havent researched enough. I have noticed clicking when I raise larynx/adams apple in the areas where the pain is. Also have had ear fullness and âCrunchingâ sound in ears. Not sure if its possible its just compression glossopharyngeal neuralgia and TMJ or if its more likely eagle syndrome. Anybody wanna take any guesses on what you think it is?
@Leonel1195 - The symptoms youâve described have been mentioned by many of our members so Iâm guessing thereâs a good possibility that your styloids are elongated. Pain w/ raising your Adams apple, could point to some elongation of the greater horns of your hyoid bone. On the other hand it could be stylohyoid calcification thatâs close to your hyoid. Weâve had members whoâve had the sharp/shock pain you feel. Itâs less common than burning or aching though
When the carotid artery is irritated/compressed, stroke-like symptoms like TIAs (transient ischemic attacks) are often the consequence. Severe neck pain along the course of the carotid can also occur & visual changes on the affected side.
Acid reflux can be related to your vagus nerve being irritated by your styloids. If your internal jugular veins (IJVs) are compressed, itâs common for the vagus nerve to get compressed, too, as it runs in the same channel w/ the IJVs between the styloid & C1 vertebra where the IJVs are most commonly compressed.
You donât need an MRI to see compression. A CT scan w/ contrast will show both your styloids & the carotid arteries & jugular veins. Save yourself from getting the heavy metal gadolinium contrast used in MRIs by just having a CT scan with & without contrast. If you can get your CT ordered to be a dynamic scan (head turned left & right, up & down) thatâs even better.
I was meaning more so get a MRI to check brain for compression on the glossopharyngeal nerve. Would you think its more likely to be eagles than bi lateral glossopharyngeal nerve compression since ive had small pains on opposite side of original in same area aka tonsil?
We canât say for sure whether it is ES or some other compression or irritation on the glossopharyngeal nerve, but ES is a known cause of GPN. I donât know how common bilateral GPN is from other causes, I wouldnât think itâs as likely as from ES thoughâŚItâs certainly worth getting a CT done given you have symptoms near your hyoid too. Were you going to have a FIESTA MRI which shows nerves in good detail, or a regular one?
But certainly the electric shock type pain on GPN is possible with ES.
Yes fiesta mri is what I would want, and yeah ive just seen GPN group say bi lateral pain in tonsils can be more likely eagle syndrome but I just havent seen anyone say shock like zaps and stuff on here. But not everyones pain gonna be exactly the same ya know.
There definitely have been members with this, âice pick painâ in the ears or throat is a well-known GPN sort of pain, hereâs a couple of discussions which mention it:
My Eagleâs Syndrome story - General - Living with Eagle
It would be good to get a FIESTA MRI if you can then, it might put your mind at rest, weâve had members say itâs difficult to get this & noy many places do it.
What are the odds theyâre from St Louis area as well. Thats who I planned on seeing Dr Osbun neurosurgeon bc im sure he would be able to tell if its eagle or a artery compression!
Even better! I hadnât noticed that! 
Iâm curious, @Leonel1195 whether you ever had what Iâd call cramping across the front of your neck? I deal with it off and on and have always wondered whatâs causing it. I never mentioned it on this forum, but when I read your writing about glossopharyngeal pain, your description sounded similar enough to the pain I have that I decided to ask. Has anyone ever experienced a sharp cramping or spasming across the front of the throat, making swallowing almost impossible while itâs at its worst? It always passes after a time, but comes off and on enough that I wonder whatâs causing it. Styloid processes interfering somehow?? Chime in with any thoughts, even if itâs just guess work!
(Itâs been guesswork for 12 years with âHow Manyâ of my doctors, and finally, finally I have a labeled box to sit in â with more questions obviously!!)
The other symptom I have as much or more as the spasming/cramping is numbness across my lips. Itâs a numbness that also has tingly sensations, though I wouldnât quite call them electric shocks⌠Any clues whatâs causing that?
Not meaning to derail @Leonel1195âs questions, but thought mine weâre similar enough to include here tooâŚ
@GeorgiaKay - The pain across the front of your throat is most likely coming from your glossopharyngeal nerve & numbness across your lips could be caused by the trigeminal nerve. These symptoms could definitely be caused by elongated styloids.
I was told a lady who had superior laryngeal neuralgia was pain on throat near adams apple? Superior laryngeal is a branch of the vagus nerve that causes throat pain lower in throat. She had a couple steroid injections of kenalog one took care of the superior laryngeal neuralgia and had like 6-8 back to back every 2 weeks and got rid of her âglass swallowingâ pain. Shes been pain free for I believe 6 years. But not sure if she ever got diagnosed with eagle syndrome or not, but she had kenalog injections, pretty sure no anestetic. She said kenalog injections. Maybe she got lucky but also she did go to Joseph Bradley ENT laryngeal specialist in STL
There have been some discussions about crichoid spasm, I donât know if this is maybe what youâre experiencing?
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