New Member -- hello and panorex thoughts?

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Hello everyone! Thanks for the welcome, I’m really glad to have found this group. :). Esp. thanks to Isiah – your welcome message was very kind!

I’ve been doing the whole “take every test and image and see every specialist in a 200 mile radius” dance – that I’m sure you all know – for more than 10 years now, but I’m cautiously hopeful that I’m at least moving in the right direction.

Before I tell my WHOLE life story though, I’m wondering if folks here could look at this pano and give opinions about whether Eagle is something that makes any sense in my case? (Understanding that y’all aren’t doctors, of course.).

I’ve done quite a bit of reading and looked at lots of other pans here and online and feel like I have an okay sense of what I ought to be looking for. But I don’t see anything obvious in my case and I don’t know if that’s because 1) I don’t really know what I’m looking at, 2) there’s nothing abnormal to see, 3) the xray is too blurry/doesn’t show enough, or 4) my massive jaw is in the way.

I’ve got a boatload of other diagnoses so it’s hard to be sure what symptom goes where, but my main “mystery” symptoms that I suspect are Eagle related are unilateral (L) ear fullness/pain, facial parasthesias, vision changes, headache/atypical migraine and sore throat; also dysphagia, fatigue, brain fog, tongue spasm, tinnitus/vascular tinnitus, head pressure, presyncope, and probably a few others I forgot.

Okay, I think I’m rambling! If anyone has thoughts, suggestions, etc. I’d love to hear them. Thanks again, and wonderful to “meet” you all. :slight_smile:

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@joes - I’m sorry to say I can’t see your styloids in the pano image you posted.
I pick option 3 - the xray is too blurry/doesn’t show enough and will add that pano x-rays don’t always show the styloids. That said, there may be others on our forum who can see your styloids in the image you posted. Reading panos is not my forté.

A dynamic CT scan w/ contrast would be the best diagnostic tool in your case. Dynamic means the scan is done w/ your head in different positions i.e. looking left/right, up/down. This can help show if your styloids &/or calcified stylohyoid ligaments are compressing vascular tissues.

Since I previously commented on your symptoms, I’ll let others share what they think.

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I agree with @Isaiah_40_31 that it could be the image is too blurry, I can’t see styloids either, but they’re not always easy to see on panoramic x-rays (depending on the angle, sometimes they can be hidden behind the jaw bone.)
All your symptoms could possibly be due to ES, as obvs @Isaiah_40_31 has given you info about…I agree that a CT with contrast would be the way to go if you’re able to get one, especially as head pressure, vascular tinnitus, brain fog & presyncope can all be vascular symptoms. If you notice these symptoms worsen with different head positions, then a dynamic contrast CT with your head in those positions would be particularly helpful, although it’s not always possible to get one of those…
I hope you’re able to get a CT done & to get a referral to an experienced ES doctor!

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Thank you @Isaiah_40_31 and @Jules – I suspected that was the case (re: the xray) and appreciate the confirmation! :slight_smile:

I actually have a “regular” CT taken about a year ago, I just requested a copy and will try running it through the 3d render program I’ve seen recommended here. So I’ll probably be back with that soon.:slight_smile:

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