Hi everyone, i have been having es symptom for the last 5 months, and just lately i had a ct scan that showed that i have es.
And now i’m in a crossroad to decide what to do next.
i wanted to ask you all, how many of you guys had the surgery and how do you feel after it for the long term?
how many of you didn’t have the surgery? and treated es differently?
because we don’t have much info as you know, i figured this is probably the best place to get this answers.
Thank you all so much!
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There’s lots of info in the newbies guide section about surgery, risks, what to expect etc., and also info about other treatments.
Alot of members get to the point where their quality of life is affected badly by symptoms, & they decide to take the posiible risk of surgery, usually with good results. It’s a personal decision though- the ES pain I had wasn’t so bad, I could live with it by making adjustments & taking a nerve pain medication. But the symptoms worsened & I began to get scary vascular symptoms, & then it became a no-brainer to opt for surgery. I was lucky to find a good surgeon not too far from me, & both surgeries went well. The vascular symptoms improved massively, as did most of the pain. I still get some nerve pain, but not as much as it was, & it’s still controlled with medication. I am so glad I had surgery! The recovery wasn’t as bad as I expected, a few weeks, & other than a bit of numbness & occasional tightness around the scars, all okay. (I had surgeries in 2015 & 2016)
Some members have opted for steroid/ lidocaine injections into the tonail area, which can work, but not permanently; it’s not a cure, the only real ‘cure’ is to have the styloid processes & any calcified ligaments removed. The steroid injections last for varying times, but can only be done a few times.
There’s a link to a discussion which you might find interesting:
Alternative treatments members have tried are lidocaine patches, chiropractors, myofascial release, to name a few…
There was a recent research paper which stated a 93% success rate, although in a small study, here’s a link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2637062/2
Hope this helps, hope others chip in with their experiences, & best wishes!
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Hi Julie,
I had ES surgery in Nov. 2014 for one side & Aug. 2015 for the other. My surgeries were quite successful. My first surgery took a bit longer to heal from than the second, but it was a longer surgery & a little more involved because of the angle & placement of that styloid process. I was 58 when I had my surgeries so not as quick to heal as someone younger, but I’m happy to say that I’m 95% improved from my pre-op condition. I have my life back & am basically free of the symptoms I experienced from ES.
I am a definite proponent of ES surgery based on my outcome.
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Thank you jules for all the info. i will look into the link you sent.
have a great day
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Thank you isaiah, its good to hear you’re felling good (:
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I just had a styloidectomy on my left side on March 6th.The Dr is Dr.Chan Leveno at Ut Southwestern in Dallas,Tx.I had suffered for over a year and the last few Months before surgery were horrible.I can’t describe to you how much relief that I had immediately after the surgery in the recovery room.The pressure and the stabbing pain is gone .She went in through the neck which is best so that she could remove as much as possible and have more room to get to where she needed to be. I am experiencing a few nerve issues in that side but should be temporary once everything heals and the nerves can go back to normal. I wouldn’t change having the surgery ,it’s only been a little over a week and I’m already up and around with more energy.
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Great news, Andrea, make sure you take it easy though, it’s common to overdo it & set things back. Nerve issues can take a while to heal too, so have to be patient with that. Glad that you’re feeling so good so quickly! 
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Aaaw Thank you! I know, I’m bad about doing too much too soon .I guess I was just so sick of being in bed most of the time this past year with migraines etc from the pressure from styloid. Will do 
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Great news andrea! take it easy like jules said and keep us up to date about your recovery
Yay!Will do❤️
Hi Julie,
I had the operation myself yesterday. I have been suffering about 7 years, but only learned it was ES 9 months ago. If you want I can keep you updated on progress and rehabilitation. Knowing what to expect and risks involved with the surgery was something I personally struggled with and that caused a lot of hesitation to me before deciding on surgery. Still too early to tell the full outcome of my surgery, but generally glad I did it.
In most cases it is not an urgent operation, so most important is to find an experienced doctor with high chances of performing a successful operation and get as much information as you can in order to make a conscious decision. Glad to say I did in my case.
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Hope that you have a speedy recovery, jempa33, & best wishes to you. Hope that your ES symptoms are resolved, take it easy! 
Thank you jempa, keep me updated and have a quick recovery! best wishes to you
I had the surgery in 2013, if I remember right. I had both sides done, and by the time my surgery date came I was desperate. My symptoms were intensifying practically by the day.
I had alarming vascular symptoms as well.
I had surgery with Dr. Cognetti in Philadelphia, and I was thrilled with the results. It was two separate surgeries, about a month or so apart. The relief was immediate, though there was a little recovery period.
With the second surgery I did have a little nerve damage that affected my smile (it wasn’t symmetrical), but that resolved within a short period of time (maybe a couple of weeks or less?)
It’s been a long time since my surgeries. For awhile afterward I’d get occasional twinges and fear that my styloids were growing back. Now I think it was just the nerve damage not having finished healing, and when something would cause it to swell up a little I’d get a little reminder.
Now, over 5 years later, I don’t have a hint of my Eagle syndrome. I’m so thrilled with my surgery.
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THanks for coming back on & sharing your story, always good to hear, glad you’re doing so well!
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thank you so much for sharing that with us, its great to hear a lot of people that feel good after the surgery
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