I was looking up related symptoms nod came across this group. I was diagnosed about a year ago after several doctors told me that my symptoms were psychosomatic. I felt something in my throat and my dentist was the first one to actually felt it and said there was definitely something there. I went to an ENT he felt as well and took my tonsils out but the symptoms remained. A year after that went back to my ENT and he did another CAT scan, that’s when he diagnosed me with Eagle syndrome. He gave me the name to the specialist but I put it all not wanting surgery. after increasing symptoms I decided to look into it again and have another appointment with my ENT on 6/6. I was wondering if anybody is ever had the sensation that they can’t breathe? I’ve picked up smoking, bad habit I know, I was wondering if that also would make the symptoms worse.
Best wishes, smoking( not mine) has caused me long term health issues and grief and may even be the cause for my Eagles. I believe you already know that your Eagle's symptoms are compounded by smoking. Courageous and honest of you to even mention smoking, it sounds like you are on the right track to feeling better. If you are looking for encouragement to quit smoking, you have my full support as well as my wishes that you become Eagles symptom free asap.
Hope your ENT can help you, if so please keep us informed of your progress. If you want some other referrals, I am attaching a spreadsheet of doctors known to our members as doctors who can help. Hope you have excell on your computer.
335-EaglesSyndromeDoctors.xls (42 KB)Thank you Emma. I quit smoking for about two week then worked a 16 hr shift. After about 12 rs I gave in and bought another pack. Quitting is very difficult.
Best of luck. Hope you are able to alleviate your pain and start feeling good again.
Emma, I was wondering how you correlated smoking(do you mean secondhand smoke?) to your health issues and perhaps your ES. If you are comfortable explaining at any length I would greatly appreciate it!
emma said:
Best wishes, smoking( not mine) has caused me long term health issues and grief and may even be the cause for my Eagles.
A.J. ~ I wanted to respond to your question about symptoms. I have never felt that I all of the way could not breathe, but I do feel like ES is affecting my airway for sure. I feel quite constricted on my right side and it takes me noticeably more effort to use the breathing muscles on the right side of my body particularly in the throat/neck/shoulder region.
When I was 17, I started smoking and I was not physically able to smoke much past 1 year ~ smoking exacerbated my ES seriously. My throat is incredibly weak, and I started having blood in my throat and more frequent than usual BAD tonsillitis flare-ups.
I have not smoked for over 12 years, and my throat is still super messed up. My health is way better than when I was abusing my body, but these ES symptoms have not even come close to resolving with time ~ I am seeking surgery for ES now that I finally understand what is going on in my poor neck 
Good Luck !!!
Thanks Jayde for your response. I hope the surgery works out for you. I’m seeing a specialist at UT Southwestern soon
Hi. I am new to this support group. I was diagnosed (finally) with Eagle Syn. 2 weeks ago. I don’t meet with the surgeon for 2 more weeks!! I am in chronic pain that over the past month has become debilitating. I want to know if others with Eagle sx have similar symptoms: burning, boring pain behind my ear, dull ache/lump in my throat, sharp searing pain in my ear. Pain under my tongue on that side. When I rotate my head I feel a scraping pulling sensation and it makes a persistent pressure pain and stuffiness in my ear and sinuses. I also have a sensation of something shifting or moving in my ear/jaw when I bend over (calcified tendon maybe?). When I walk or ride in the car the jarring movements hurt my throat and ear. Is this normal Eagle pain? Or is the ear pain from something else? I am becoming despondent from this pain. Thank you so much.
When I breathe I always sound winded,heavy breathing. Marian that sounds pretty normal for eagles