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.
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