Hi everyone, I hope it’s okay if I post some images of my CT scan here. This group seems very knowledgeable and I am hoping to get some insight on what might be going on for me. So far I have had an interventional neurologist diagnose me with “significant narrowing of the internal jugular vein on the left side near the styloid process”. They haven’t formally confirmed Eagle’s syndrome, but from the images they showed me it was pretty clear that the styloid was pushing into the IJV. I have got pulsatile tinnitus that seems to get worse/more intense when I eat, regular (ringing) tinnitus, occasional brain fog and dizziness, and random times where my hearing cuts out and / or intense bursts of ringing tinnitus. I’ve also had left sided ear pain.My pulsatile tinnitus is right sided, and my regular tinnitus is worse on the left side, but in both ears. Sometimes, with certain movements I can feel an intense pressure/rush around the base of my skull. I am getting a cerebral catheter angiogram soon, where the Dr. will record the pressures in my head. I’ve also had neuro-opthmaology assessment which has confirmed that there is evidence of increased pressures behind the eye. Any advice for me on where I go from here? I’ve measured the styloids using the measuring tool and they are 2.5cm on the left side and 2.9cm on the right side, so not too long, but others have mentioned that may not be accurate as my styloids actually end around C2, and a “normal” one might not even approach C1. Anything noteworthy that you can see in my images that I might bring up the the neurologist I am seeing? Anyone see anything with regards to the C1 and hyoid bone? thanks very much in advance, very much appreciated.
One thing that perhaps stands out, in my opinion, is that the styloid processes are quite close to the internal carotid arteries, especially on the right side. It’s difficult to see that clearly on the 3D views, but I could imagine that when the neck is moving, the styloids might come in contact with the ICAs and impinge them, possibly causing some of the symptoms.
I have symptoms related to chewing as well (not pulsatile tinnitus). I also believe that my CT scans show expansion of the collateral veins about the pterygoid plexus, and that something or other along those veins become constricted by the chewing muscles. My thinking is that whatever intracranial hypertension is heightened by the backup routes for venous blood through the jaw and down the front of the throat (anterior jugular vein) getting congested.