I’m waiting for my appointment with an eagle specialist. I am wanting to be prepared for what I am going to find out when I finally get to see her. As you all know, the wait is long, and it would help just to know if one actually has the diagnosis of Eagle Syndrome. I finally found a dentist familiar with eagle and was able to get a panoramic xray. He said that my left styloid looks like it “might be a bit long, but not hugely long”, but my right one is not even visible on the film. The right is where I have many ear symptoms, including the feeling of a fish hook pulling on my ear canal. He thinks my right one may be curved, and that is why it is not visible. If so, he says it is a good thing I am getting it checked out because it could be more likely to interfere with the carotid artery. I would like to know if anybody here is knowledgeable enough to read this image and tell me if the left styloid looks long enough to be Eagle? I’m just wanting to be prepared for what to expect from my appointment when it finally comes up next month. I understand that probably nobody who sees this on this forum is a doctor. I’m just wondering what people’s experience is, and if mine looks long enough to be eagle based on what you have seen? Also, have any of you had a curved styloid that didn’t even show up on your panoramic film?
You can see the styloid process clearly on the right side of the x-ray, which is your left side? It looks longer than the ‘average’ so could be long & angled enough to cause symptoms. It’s quite pointy at the end too, if you imagine that being close to nerves it’s understandable that it could cause pain.
I’m not sure as it’s right by the edge of the shot, but on the left side of the pic there could be another pointy bit of styloid, it’s not clear though…I’m sorry, I’m not good with tech so can’t label them for you…
Is it possible for you to be having a CT done while you wait for your appointment? The styloids show better on a CT, but I don’t know if your PCP could refer you for that?
If the wait is long, I don’t know if any of the other doctors have a shorter wait? A couple of members have had surgery with Dr Hales over the last few years:
Dr. Nathan Hales, 5715 Rogers Rd Suite 128, San Antonio, TX 78251
210-249-4840 http://www.sanantonioent.com/
You definitely have an elongated styloid on the left, it looks thick on this image. All panorex x-rays can have distortion therefore it may not be a true representation of what it actually is. Also, you can have elongated styloids that may not show up on the image due to positioning of the head. You cannot see the right styloid process on the image above. It can be there but not in the field of view on the image above. The styloid can be long or short, thick or thin and still be the culprit of Eagles Syndrome. Symptoms do not always follow having the styloid to be long or thick to cause issues associated with ES.
Thank you for the reply. I do have a cone beam ct from an oral surgeon who is not familiar with eagle. Long story on how I got that, but I just got the scan with no consult, so I have nobody who can read it. It comes with the viewer Invivo Dental Viewer. The dentist who did my flat pano tried, but his system firewall would not let the file open. If I knew who in Dallas Ft Worth to take it to, who knows eagle and can get around in InVivo, I could go there.
Thank you too Rex, for the reply. Yes, they actually had to take several to get my styloids to show up, had to turn side to side and zoom in to see them. So maybe my problems are due to odd angle or curved styloids. I just hope the specialist I’m seeking takes me seriously when I finally see her.