![]() The News-Medical.Net website identifies some of these symptoms as: Symptoms can mimic other conditions associated with orofacial pain. Obstruction causes the inability to open the mouth. Irritation of this nerve causes facial and TMJ pain, jaw muscle spasms, and weakness. Travels lateral to the stylohyoid ligamentĬauses tongue weakness and inability to protrude the tongue fully Responsible for pain fibers of the posterior pharynx to cause pain throat and swallowing pain.ĬN XI (spinal accessory nerve), X (Vagus nerve), IX (glossopharyngeal nerve) form the pharyngeal plexusĪt the cranial portion of the spinal accessory nerveĬompression of this plexus causes dysphagiaīranchiomeric motor branches are responsible for phonation, and compression may cause hoarseness. Stylohyoid ligament lies adjacent to the glossopharyngeal nerve VII carries pain fibers from the external auditory canal to cause ear pain Styloid process lies anterior to the facial nerve The different nerves that are affected play important roles in the symptoms (see Table 1 below). Other resembling conditions are third molar impaction, temporomandibular joint disorders, migraines or headaches, arthritis in the cervical vertebral, atypical facial pain, inflammation of the tonsils and temporal arteries. The complexity of symptoms depends on the various structures which are involved. Neuralgias tend to arise from branches of one cranial nerve, while eagle syndrome arises from the distribution of multiple nerves and vascular structures. When there’s pressure on the internal artery, it can cause a stroke.Įagle syndrome is affected by different nerves and vascular structures, making it clinically confusing to other conditions, and it may mimic other syndromes that involve the cranial nerves (trigeminal neuralgia and glossopharyngeal neuralgia). Internal carotid arteries bring blood inside the skull, such as the brain. ![]() External carotid arteries bring blood to structures outside of the skull. Carotid arteries are bilateral on the anterior of the neck, and there are external and internal carotid arteries. In some cases, a long styloid process is able to put pressure on the internal carotid arteries. Other main symptoms for vascular Eagle syndrome may be the same as classic eagle syndrome with the addition of syncope, dizziness, nausea, vision issues, and stroke symptoms. In these cases, when compression is applied, such as turning the head, it can tear inside the blood vessel to restrict blood flow and increase an transient ischemic attack (TIA) or a stroke. Vascular ‒ Vascular (or carotid artery) eagle syndrome is originated when the elongated styloid process impinges the internal carotid artery. This results in a sore throat, tinnitus, neck, ear, and/or facial pain. Scarring near the styloid apex can cause compression or stretching of the nerve structures near the styloid process. Secondary issues of a tonsillectomy within classic syndrome are stimulation of the cranial nerves 5, 7, 9, and 10 and their associated branches. They are usually seen after throat trauma, injury to the neck or pharynx, or after a tonsillectomy or other neck surgeries. 1Įagle syndrome is characterized by two types.Ĭlassic ‒ Classic eagle syndrome is mainly unilateral, but it could be bilateral in rare cases. While 4% of the population has an elongated styloid process, and within this range, 4% of these cases have symptoms. The result of the elongation often causes pain in the ear, neck, head, mouth, throat, and face.Įagle syndrome affects women more than men and is more common between 40 to 60 years of age. Any longer than 3 cm is considered elongated, which can spontaneously arise over time. A normal styloid process is 2.5 to 3 cm in length. The styloid process is the small pointy bone located right below the ear. Other known contributors are an elongated styloid process or calcified hardening of the stylohyoid ligament. Other factors may be abnormal angular position and size of the styloid process, ossification of muscular tendons and stylohyoid ligament, or an injury to the area that never fully healed. Tonsillectomies are considered a likely factor as a result of possible scarring and injury from the procedure. Pain is experienced in the head and neck region, and the symptoms can mimic other conditions that cause head and neck pains. Eagle syndrome (stylohyoid syndrome) is within the category of many other conditions since there are no definite known causes.
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