Hi...I just got diagnosed yesterday. Doctor didn't tell me much. Just said I had ES...also have tonsils full of stones. Suggest taking them out to start. Says I have the calcified ligament type? I have ear pain, neck and throat pain and a feeling of something caught in my throat constantly. I have also had bouts of extreme fatigue for the last few months ( probably the first thing I noticed if its related). Happy to finally have a reason for all this. But this sucks. Is surgery the only fix??
Hiya Mustangmom!
I’ve read that there may be options with lidocaine shots, but I’m not sure if anyone on here has had much success with that. Most people seem to be rooting for surgery.
Thanks. Do you know if the surgery for the calcified ligaments is as invasive as the other type?
I'm not too sure what you mean by the other type. You mean congenital elongation of the styloids, like people who are born with long styloids vs part of a ligament turning to bone?
Either way, the same part of the body is interfering with things because it's too long, and as far as I know the procedures are about the same (internal or external approach and then a variety of styles in how doctors shorten the boney process)
I think scrolling through the Photos section at the top of the page may help out. There's a lot of medical images in there and everybody's ES pictures look different.
Also looking back through the forum and reading some of the surgery and recovery stories from other members will probably be very helpful. Some people bounce back really quick!
Thanks for the help and sorry for the confusion. Yes that is what I meant. I have learned a lot just from this site. I'm just trying to get this all figured out. I looked at the pictures. My doctor didn't say anything about the styloids so I guess that's what's throwing me off. Maybe I need to ask the doc more questions. Thank you again for your help.
There's more info in the ES Info section to help you Mustangmom, about the ligaments and styloid processes, treatment options etc. You can have calcified styloid ligaments without having elongated styloids, in which case the styloid processes wouldn't need to be removed, but it's a good idea to double check with your doctor before making decisions about surgery etc.
Results with other treatment options varies- some members have had success with steroid/ lidocaine injections, but it's not a permanent solution, as there are a limited number of times you can have it. Some people have found chiropractors help, or massage, heat and ice etc. to deal with any inflammation, and some people manage with painkillers etc. rather than have surgery. But unfortunately surgery is the only permanent fix.
I'm not sure whether the calcified ligaments could be removed very well with intra-oral surgery. For you intra-oral would be an advantage as they would have to remove the tonsils to get to the right area anyway. But - and hopefully other members can help and give their experiences- to remove calcified ligaments is easier done through external surgery, as it gives better visibility of the area, I think. Again, if you're thinking about surgery, it's best to have a good read of info on here, and go prepared with questions ready for your doctor. And a good idea to choose a surgeon who is experienced in this surgery- there is a list of doctors members of the site have put together on the top menu bar, if you want to think that far ahead.