Understanding my images and xrays

General Eagle Syndrome Stories
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So after 2 years of progressively worsened constant random pains between my upper middle back between my shoulder blades and the top of my head and behind my ears is alot of pressure and burning(pulling, burning, throbbing, neck and head pain along with constantly feeling stuck and snapping sounds like i pulled a ligament or something, and ear pressure my ears are ALWAYS clogged, where as all of it is greatly affecting my daily routines constantly), I’ve had maybe 20 different types of Imaging done between MRI CT scan, bone scan, regular x-rays, nerve testing, etc. Anyways i have all these discs and have never been able to access them so who knew I can just go to my online portal with the radiogy company and view all of my images in one place.

Anyways I’d like to understand them more and I don’t know which images to provide to get opinions (theres 100,s of images). I would like to know if my stylohyoid is affecting any of the nerves. And where from/ what point. The base of the stylo or the pointy side,? I mean I’m obviously being affected with my nerves I just want to see where it’s affecting me because this way I can understand it better. I don’t think my stylohyoids are elongated, I guess I do have a little bit of ossification/calcification. I have my 3D ones I posted earlier and no one’s replied so I’ll go ahead and post them here again!
I have/feel a ton of symptoms yet none of my images were reported with any es results as it wasnt until i went and saw a Blair chiropractor Nov 2020 (ive seen 20 chiros, 3 nuerosurgeons, dentist, and ENT) that sent my xrays out and those came back with “bilateral stylohyoid ligament ossification”, and when i researched that wording i found ES. I do have some issues that have been found during all this… I have spinal canal stenosis(my canal in my neck is narrow) , and my C5 and C6 I guess they want to do a Fusion. But whenever I talk to the surgeons and ask them what about all these other pains in my shoulders and my neck and especially behind my ears and up the back of my head to the top of my head? Oh, and also there many times that I get super confused and I just don’t feel right and I can’t think straight. I cannot even function. I have to go back to bed.They have no answer. And they think I’m crazy I’m pretty sure. no one’s ever mentioned Eagle syndrome. And I don’t want to have a surgery for something they tell me they don’t know if they can resolve my pain, and I’m like now I’m not doing the surgery. If it’s my C5 and C6 in my neck why is there pain everywhere else above my mid-back? No one ever has an answer.

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maybe I put the wrong category or something. Anyways if anybody could help I have lots and lots of images just don’t know which ones to post. Thank u!

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Firstly, we’re not doctors on here, just people who’ve been though ES ourselves, but…your styloid process definitely looks a bit long, it’s quite pointy at the end, & quite wide at the top as well. I think maybe either your hyoid bone processes are quite long or possibly it’s the stylo-hyoid ligaments which have calcified from the hyoid bone up, & this can cause symptoms too.
Unfortunately no-one can say whether it’s definitely the styloid causing irritation or compression of nerves, & which part of the styloid is the culprit, no scan can show that.
Again, unfortunately no doctor can definitely say whether surgery would help your symptoms, the same as with neck fusion surgery I guess. I don’t know too much about neck fusion surgery (I’m from the UK & it seems to rarely be done here, so don’t know what the outcomes & recovery are like from that) , but it’s certainly worth looking into the ES diagnosis before a neck fusion, as it’s possible that maybe altering the position of your neck with a fusion could change the position of the styloids?
It might be worth getting an appt with someone with ES experience & asking about the hyoid processes as well as the styloid processes.
Here’s a link to the Doctors List:
US Doctors Familiar With ES, Current List - Symptoms and Treatments / Doctor Information - Living with Eagle
I’m sorry that we can’t definitely say to you what’s causing your symptoms & which surgery is the best bet for you, but I do think it’s worth getting another opinion about the ES & then weighing up the pros & cons of both surgeries.

1 Like
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Hi kmcgrsha,

The image you posted is fine. Do you also have an image of the other side? It looks like you posted 2 images of your left styloid. I agree w/ Jules about it looking a bit long & thick at the top. You also potentially have some calcification closer to your hyoid bone on your stylohyoid ligament. That can also be causing problems. I annotated your image w/ red arrows pointing to what looks like calcified s-h ligaments to me.

Your best bet to get an answer about whether or not you have ES is to do what Jules mentioned - have the CT scan from which the images you posted came reviewed by the radiology lab to measure your styloid length & look for stylohyoid ligament calcification. Styloids 3cm & longer are considered to be ES & calcified stylohyoid ligaments, even w/o elongated styloids, are also considered to be ES. Another option for diagnosis is to send your scans to Dr. Samji or another doctor of your choice from our list & ask for an opinion. There may be a charge for that, though.

I hope this info helps!