Hi I am new to the group and I just have some questions. I have been reading on here that unless your styloid process is 25 to 30 mm in length. My doctor diagnosed me with Eagle Syndrome. My ct scan showed bilateral prominence with my styloid process with calcification being 22mm on my left and 19mm on my right. My doctor is sending me to someone who specializes in surgery with Eagle Syndrome. My pain and swelling with headaches, eye pain, ear pain, neck and jaw pain and the feeling of something always being stuck in my throat and has been going on for 4 years now with them trying to find out what is causing it, and I am tired of this feeling all the time but I want to make sure that this is what I have before someone starts cutting on me. I was told that my face and jaw is on the small side so I do not know if this matters when figuring in the size of my styloid process. Please help with any information that anyone has because I am confused of what to do next.
Firstly, the 2.5mm is just an average (and doctors can’t even agree on that!)- so as you say your jaw etc is on the small side, that might be quite long in proportion for you. Did they mention if your stylo-hyoid ligaments are calcified as well? Sometimes that’s not always noted, and if they are calcified, they can cause symptoms as well. Also in the Newbies Guide (ES Info) there’s info from research papers which shows that it’s not necessarily the length which causes symptoms, but also the angle. It’s a very small space in that area, with lots of major blood vessels and nerves, so a funny angle can cause compression or irritation of those. A CT with contrast would show if there’s any compression of blood vessels, but not nerves.
Your symptoms sound like common ES symptoms; some doctors will diagnose ES by doing a Lidocaine injection into the area to see if that improves the symptoms, and if so they conclude that it is ES. So you could try that before you have surgery. But at the end of the day no-one knows for sure which symptoms will improve with surgery, and which might not, or if they’re being caused by something else. Most people who opt for surgery get to the point with ES symptoms where they’re willing to take that chance!
Hi Jojo!
I would encourage you to pay a visit to the ES surgeon your doctor refers you to. Going to that person for a consult does not commit you to surgery, & seeing a specialist like that might help clarify things for you. Someone who is familiar w/ ES and does the surgery will have insight into your symptoms and scans that a doctor “not in the know” won’t have. Most surgeons will not try to talk you in to having surgery but will discuss your options and leave the choice with you.
I hope these thoughts help you move forward.
Thank you! This does help and I am curious to find out what options they give me.
Write your questions down before you go in so you don’t forget to ask anything.