Possible Vascular Compression?

Symptoms and Treatments
1

I’ve had some strange symptoms over the past few years and was wondering if it could be related to some form of vascular compression in the neck. Not sure if its related to styloid like is being discussed in these forums or something else.

2018
Noticed crunchy noises in the top of my neck when moving - started to get weird/new headaches that felt like pressure deep in my skull that came and went - along with facial pressure which felt like sinus pressure. This is intermittent.

2021
The feelings get worse and become constant. Pressure feeling in face and behind eyes - slight light sensitivity and blurry vision develop as well. Get the feeling like my eyes are crossed when they are not.
I finally go to an ENT thinking I have a sinus infection, ENT gives me dexamethasone, which helps, but all symptoms return after the course. Get a sinus CT which is clear - then referred for brain/cervical spine MRI which is also clear except for some mild degeneration in cervical spine. Also weird GI symptoms come and go that feel like gall bladder pain.

2022
Start to get periods where I’ll get a brief attack of vertigo for 2-3 seconds, or a feeling of being in free fall when sitting. Also, I feel off balance and drunk. Feeling like my head is getting crushed into the ground (heavy). I noticed this is worse after exercise - then I feel like my head is going to explode and Im bouncing off the walls. Also started to get stabbing pain in my right ear and jaw, and the feeling like my voice becomes hoarse sometimes.

2023
Basically everything is continuing. Mentioned it being something possibly vascular to my Neurologist and referred for CTA/CTV scan.

I’m thinking something changed in my neck when the crunching noises started and might have compressed something, but just a hunch. Either that or maybe something stability related…CCI?

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2

Hi & welcome to the forum!
Certainly some of your symptoms sound like ES- stabbing pains in ear & jaw could be the glossopharyngeal nerve which is often affected by the styloids, and a hoarse voice has been noted, plus if the vagus nerve is irritated it can cause GI issues. I sympathise with the vascular symptoms- I had bilateral compression of the jugular veins, which caused Intracranial symptoms like you mention- vertigo, off balance, drunk, being in free fall, head pressure etc.
Some members have had crunching in their necks, but as you say it could also be CCI.
Hopefully the scan will show if there is any vascular compression and if it’s the styloids compressing them or it could be the cervical bone processes.

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Thanks Jules. I’d assume you would need a CTA/CTV of the head and neck, not just the head? I believe he might have just ordered for the head so I’ll confirm that.

4

Yes @allamar - CTA/CTV of head/neck & specifically dynamic testing if you can get it. Dynamic testing is often done by ultrasound. It takes images of your vascular tissues with your head in various positions i.e. looking up/down, left/right which is important because sometimes vascular compression doesn’t show up with the head in neutral position. An angiogram where blood flow velocities are measured in the IJVs is another way to confirm compression but must also be done dynamically.

Getting a head/neck CT scan to check your styloid length would also be a good idea.

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