I have both sides “inlarged styloid” the right was extra large so the did that side first. … Recovery and live since surgery has been pure hell. 3 years later still in pure hell. I have gotten so I’ll I can no longer do my job which I loved . Last week I had another m.r.i
Waiting to see left side. Wondering and scared for answers…with right side done. Can it change to position of left one. I am so scared I don’t want to go through this surgery again. the left side has not been touched yet . My question is can this styloid move around change position with the right side being cut back … It would be great with they could shrink on them own
I’m sorry that you’ve not felt any better since surgery, Nancy. A lot of members have found that the second side does seem to worsen following surgery. I guess it’s possible that removing one side shifts everything slightly in the neck making the other side worse, or maybe the position of the neck in surgery shifts it and then inflammation starts- I don’t know. I know that my ES symptoms got a lot worse after I started getting a disc problem in my neck, and I always wondered if that shifted everything enough to affect them, or whether it was inflammation…
Have you ever had a scan post-surgery, or been able to find out how much of the styloid was removed? There have been a few cases where the doctors haven’t taken much off. Maybe see if you can ask that when you get the results? Also MRI’s don’t always show the styloids that well, although they can be useful to rule anything else out, so you might need to push for a CT as well
Thank you. When I go to get results. I will request a CT scan. I had a ct scan when I was diagnosed back in 2011… This Syndrome is awful. It’s been a long 6 years…
Can the styloid re grow? Can a styloid shrink ?
Hi Nancy,
First off, part of the reason you may still have so much pain after your first surgery is because the pain and symptoms from the remaining elongated styloid often gets worse after the first side is taken care of. Perhaps at least some of what is still affecting you is most likely from the side that still needs surgery. This happened to me. Some of my symptoms went away after my first surgery but others got much worse. Since I had my second surgery most of my symptoms are nearly gone & some of them are completely gone.
In answer to your other questions, there is some evidence that styloids can regrow after surgery. The doctors who have done the most styloidectomies try to cut the elongated styloids back to the skull & remove the stylohyoid ligaments especially if they’re calcified so they don’t hang around and cause further problems. I won’t say this process is a guarantee the styloids won’t grow back but regrowth is rare.
Because the styloids are calcified, it would be very unlikely for them to shrink on their own. Surgery seems to be the only sure-fire way to eliminate them and the debilitating symptoms they cause.
I hope this info helps you.
Thank you it did help. Still waiting on results.
Just so tired of being in pain!
1 Like
How long are the styloids suppose to be if normal would they call them small??? I am so discouraged and in so much pain. I feel like I am going around in a circle .
The ‘average’ is thought to be 2.5cms, but there are quite a few ‘averages’ thrown about- I’ve read anything from 1.5cms to 4cms according to different researchers. But it stands to reason that someone short would have smaller styloids than someone tall, so I think it’s helpful for members to try to get an actual measurement from the scan report. The angle is important too- so with the side you’ve had done, if it was growing at a funny angle it could be that not enough has been removed to stop the effects from it?
I can understand how bad you must be feeling, especially as the op doesn’t seem to have helped; I would try to get a CT and find out exactly what was removed the first time.
Keep strong!
They are both large again. They didn’t give me a size but I will ask. My heart just sunk when they said the right side was large again. the left side was large already. But the right side was extra large before surgery. So they chose to do that side first .I can’t see them cutting it back to large as they were going to cut the large back. ?
I hope I can get in to ent soon. This journey has been very long. And very painful
Hi Nancy,
I am so sorry to hear that you are suffering for so long. gettin g to pre-opp and post-opp measurements and the current measurements would I think not only help you, but others as there is not a lot of actual evidence of regrowth rate.
My Dr took bone bones to the skull and he crushed it off so that it “can’t regrow”. I have read while researching that some Dr.s, the they do a partial styloidectomy some times leave a short and sharp bone and patients need another surgery to have it fully removed or “polished” if it can’t be fully taken do to nerve positions.
I am really glad you had another CT to help move you in. The right direction for your next steps.
I wish you the best,
Seamom