I’ve been thinking about what’s going on in my
neck. In the imaging that I see online, the styloid
hyoid is long (mine is 4cm on the left) and it sticks
down on either side of the neck, angled toward
the center. If it is attached to the skull, then when
the skull is tipped forward, the points of the SH
would tilt back and impinge the nerves and blood
vessels coming out from the spine. I’ve been
making a conscious effort to keep my head/skull
tilted upward, which seems to lessen my pain.
I dreamt that I was having neck pain and I woke
up with my head tilted down and I really was
having neck pain, until I tilted my head up which
then relieved it.
Does this make any sense to any one of you?
Has anyone tried this?
The styloid processes grow at different angles; some are angled in wards, some to the back & some to the front, it does vary for members. Some have found that looking up can cause blackouts even if the carotid arteries are then blocked, others find looking down sets off symptoms! If you’re finding that tilting your head upwards helps, that’s good!
Me too! I am a nail tech/ jewelry designer and in both of these professions I have to keep my neck tilted down. When I drive to work to the spa, I have to keep my head completely straight plastered against the back of the head rest or it causes me pain in my tonsil. I also can’t watch TV in bed or use a cell phone in bed.
I’m sorry for your symptoms, noelleinaz, but I’m glad you’ve learned what head positions can help relieve them. I hope you have surgery scheduled soon to help you begin dealing w/ ES. Getting the styloid(s) removed should make a huge difference for you. Dr. Milligan is a well-liked & very competent & experienced ES surgeon.