Hi All,
Having had right styloid removed 4 years ago, didn’t resolve issues. Been having horrible time and started trying to get help, after biopsy / ct scan / bloods again saw maxillowfacial consultant today, I asked him to have another look and prod around, pterygoid hamulus bone,ouch!!! After years of consultations / research and four surgeries I’ve not come across this before but ‘pterygoid hamulus bursitis’ ticks lots of boxes for me! According to the couple of articles I’ve read patients often get misdiagnosed with Eagle Syndrome! Ta da! Hopefully I’m onto something to get this flipping thing out of my head!
Anybody ever had treatment for pterygoid hamulus bursitis?
Be interested to hear.
Best wishes, Sue
Whaaaaaat! Never even heard of this. Did a quick search and now I’m super curious.
This is a great find, I hope it gets your some help!
Thanks, I’ll keep you posted!
Hope that you can get some treatment, if it is this- are they going to try steroid injections first?
Hi Jules,
I’m going to ask for steroid injections, it’s a slow process!
Hope you’re well.
Sue
__
Hi glad i founf this post. Im trying to rule this hamulas process out before i jump into surgery for eagles. My main pain is in the side of my soft palate when i swallow. It also gets very dry and stings when i talk. I have eagle syndrome both sides on my scan and the bone behind my tonsil which the pain stopped after a couple months but this other side soft palate swallowing pain im not convinced its eagles im thinking hamular process but i have to mention it now to my surgeon. Im so confused. Did you get tested for this and how? Would it show on the ct scan?
There’s a few research articles on this if you google it- here’s a link to one of them: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3858168/
But don’t get too excited- the symptoms it says in this research piece are similar to ES, diagnosis is difficult, treatment is difficult and there’s as yet no protocol- I think it’s possibly even rarer than ES. If you’re really worried about surgery and are not convinced that you have ES (but given your CT findings I’m not sure why you’re questioning the diagnosis- your symptoms are common ES ones, they vary a bit with everyone and side to side), maybe you should ask the doctor about steroid/ lidocaine injections into the area of the ligaments to see if that eases your pain. Steroid injections are one of the possible treatments for the above diagnosis too, but in a slightly different area, so it might help you confirm what you have.
Jules i am questioning it because it would be the worst thing to happen if i went through two surgeries for nothing. Im barely coping as it is. My left side is definately eagles related where the styloid tip is behind my tonsil . My pain and other symptoms have eased off alot there. But now the right side is just too localised to the soft palate to compare with the continueous thick calcified ligament all the way downwards. Im thinking its so calcified and long but ive no other symptoms like neck pain on turning my head or stiffness? Just this swallowing pain in one small area and theres nothing pointing inwards towards my throat on the right. It looks to me that the right side calcified ligament has been there for years and my pain stared six months ago. I dont know why my left side has eased off its as if my throat has got used of the bone in there now, only if i press on it it pains. Im not avoiding surgery i really want it all to stop and get my life back but in my case one side is still unsure that it could possibly be something else and if the surgeons arent too sure and saying well its your decision then i need to rule out this hamular process which is in the exact area where im feeling the pain when swallowing. I couldnt take the dissapointment if surgery didnt resolve it and i still couldnt eat. I feel ive put my family and children through enough already. Has anyony else had soft palate pain as tbeir only symptom?
Hi
Oh I feel your pain, I waited and waited to see dr who basically looked straight through me, wasn’t interested in anything I suggested, referred me to pain clinic where I was keen to talk about injections etc, “oh I’m sorry darling, I can’t do that I want to continue my career” , I went a bit bonkers and almost shouted that nobody is listening to me! I’m going to make appointment to see Rogan Corbridge and hope he’s willing to try something, at the end of my tether. Started gabapentin today but felt zonked after one pill!
I too want my life back, it’s ridiculous that a ‘little pain in you’re mouth’ has potential to have such huge impact in your life, I’m So so bored of it, so much time passes when waiting for referral then rereferral years pass and nothing happens, good luck, I’ll let you know if I find anything out,
Regards
She
Sue can my ent surgeon check me for this hamulas process? Ive to see him in a month about eagles surgery plan. He will probably think im crazy now.
I’m hoping that ENT are the people, it was maxillofacial who told me the name of where it hurts and sent me on my way, I read a few things earlier but it seems it’s like eagles and they don’t look in this area, I saw some ct images on google, the drs definitely have me down as crazy, the next guy I’m seeing next will listen I hope!
unsure if hamulus can elongate? maybe opg Xray shows it?
I hope to have appointment in few weeks.
Best wishes
Sue
I got a trigger point injection there just of a numbing agent it did nothing but the location were that bone is located is were I have a cool sensation,infectin feeling that ive had for 16 years Im seeing a Oral surgeon the same one that did the injection on wensday going to ask for a hyoid point trigger injection since thats the only area I have never got a injection on ,and if that dont work going to ask him to remove the hammulus not sure if he will since i didnt respond to the trigger point injection,let you know
Hi Sue,
did you cover the pytergoid hamulus syndrom ?
was this indeed the problem ?
i suspect this is the issue that i’m having .
Thanks.
Anyone know anything more about this? Did anyone end up having Pterygoid hamulus bursitis and if so how did you get it diagnosed, what were your symptoms and how have you managed it.
Annieloo,
Pterogoid hamulus syndrome, if bad enough can be surgically treated. Beyond that, I can offer no help. The posts above are from 6 years ago. I’m not sure if any of those members are still active on the forum.
Hi @Sue,
I unfortunately had this surgery. I think the doctor cut too much bone though so am suffering more now.
1 Like
@Kyrajean - was the surgery you had a resection of your Pterygoid hamulus bone(s)? We’ve had a few members with both ES & Pterygoid Hamulus Syndrome. If you have elongated styloids that are still intact, they could be causing part or all of the pain you still have as elongated styloids can contact nerves that cause pain, burning & numbness in the mouth, roof of the mouth, teeth tongue & throat.
2 Likes
So sorry that this surgery didn’t help you @Kyrajean. As @Isaiah_40_31 says, do you still have elongated styloids?
Hi Jules,
Yes but Im afraid to remove any other supportive structures. My
1 Like
HI Isaiah, I just searched for Pterygoid hamulus on here as only just found out what it is online. I was looking for what the bones are at back of roof of mouth as I feel the Pterygoid bone easily, kind of sticking out into the mouth cavity on the left side, yet where I think I have ES is on my right side. Do you know why this could happen & if possibly related?! thank you