Quite a few members have had the steroid injections- mixed results with them though. Some members have been able to put off surgery for quite a while, but there has been the occasional members who has ended up worse off. They’re not a cure, just a temporary fix.
The external surgery is a better option compared to the intra oral surgery, as it gives better visibility as Dr Hayes says. There are some risks, as with any surgery, although if the surgeon is experienced these are lessened. The most severe risks are a stroke or a bleed, as there are major blood vessels close to the styloid process, but this is very, very rare. Members often have a bit of nerve damage from the nerves being stretched or irritated; the facial nerve can be affected so you may experience numbness or tingling on your face/ jaw area. Occasionally it can cause the mouth or eyelid to droop a bit. Occasionally people have had irritated nerves to the tongue so speaking can be a bit tricky. The accessory nerve to the neck/shoulders can also get stretched which could cause temporary arm weakness.
As for recovery, you will need to rest- certainly lifting little ones would be too much probably for a couple of weeks at least- my children were grown up, but I took 4 weeks off work as I used to work with little ones & would have to lift them. Also I couldn’t drive for 3 weeks after my first surgery as I couldn’t turn my head comfortably, although this was easier with second surgery. So if you’re a carer for your husband, and 2 young children, & don’t have help, the surgery could be difficult for you…
Trying the steroid injection could be a possibility to help you keep going until you can have surgery? It’s difficult, a personal decision as only you know how much pain you’re in…there are nerve pain medications which can help, & lidocaine patches or topical cream can help; it might be worth trying if you haven’t already?
Here’s a link to info about that:
ES Information- Treatment: Pain Relief - Welcome / Newbies Guide to Eagle Syndrome - Living with Eagle
(Scroll up to the top of the discussion for the info)
I hope you can work something out, thinking of you 