Hi DeeG,
So, no one you’ve seen has seen elongated styloids or calcified stylohyoid ligaments on your CT scan? It would be great if you didn’t need surgery but it would also be great for you to find out what’s causing the TN. Treating the symptoms is good but finding the cause would also be helpful. I know that’s the challenge with nerve pain, isn’t it!
Two doctors stated styloids elongated at different times and two other doctors took it back. Newest doctor said styloids not elongated last week, but this week he said it is just a little longer than should be, but he wants to work on nerve first.
Had another set of shots this week, not fun and didn’t work. Actually made my left shoulder blade hurt just like my right and I had no problems with left before. Oh well, at least I got this doctor to promise he won’t release me as a patient after he tries a couple of things that don’t work. He even injected pain meds and steroids, but headache back by the time I got in my car. Question for today, can a person damage vagus nerve without damage to any other nerves, arteries or ligaments?
Hi DeeG,
I’m so glad your current doctor finally conceded that your styloid(s) is/are longer than is normal. That is definitely a step in the right direction!!
Because each human body is uniquely designed, ES affects each one of us differently. It is entirely possible for the vagus nerve to be the only nerve irritated by ES, but the fact that you’re having shoulder/shoulder blade pain says that your accessory nerve is also not happy. I recall you’re having some other symptoms that could be related to other nerves as well. Here is a list of the more common symptoms caused by an irritated/damaged vagus nerve: Potential symptoms of damage to the vagus nerve include:
It’s nice that your doctor is being conservative in his approach, but getting the type of shots he’s giving you can’t be done for the long term, and you’re already noticing they don’t really help you. How long will he make you wait before he’s willing to remove the cause of your nerve symptoms rather than trying to put a bandaid on the symptoms? That is a question you might want to ask (perhaps not so bluntly 
) at your next appointment.
I asked today when he would try something different and he said at next appointment, next Monday. I understand no one wants to be pushed to a conclusion so I am trying his solution and asking questions to get him to move over toward the vagus nerve. It’s slow going, but I get to update him weekly and he promised to take another approach if this injection didn’t work. It’s painful, but I do think it’s progress since he hasn’t played the mental illness card. He prescribed phenergan to see if that helps. I just don’t know why my left side reacted so badly this time. The injections were at the right jaw and temple and now it hurts to raise both my left and right arms. Right arm has hurt for more than a year, but left arm started hurting today after shot.
So sorry that things are getting worse, very frustrating but you sound like you’re being very calm & strong about things. It could be that maybe doing the injection he caught the nerve, or pushed something onto it- we can all be slightly anatomically different so maybe your nerves aren’t quite in the usual place?
DeeG,
Good job being patient & “going w/ the flow”. Hopefully that will pay big dividends in the end. I am sorry, too, that your pain got worse yesterday after your shot. That’s definitely not the right direction. So glad you have another appt. soon so you can try something new.
The Promethazine actually worked to help with a better sleep, but I am concerned about more medicine compared to an actual resolution. I will definitely update doctor on this issue. It did come in handy because I got strangely nauseated and bloated yesterday. This injection involved lots more pain meds and steroids so that’s probably why I felt so bad.
Makes sense as lots of people have problems with pain meds. At least you weren’t horribly nauseous! That’s something to be thankful for!! Glad the promethazine is helping with sleep. Sleeping well is a good thing.
