Do you have styloid process enlargement?
Styloid process enlargement causing pain is a rare problem called Eagle's syndrome or stylalgia.
Symptoms include foreign body sensation in throat,pain during swallowing or neck movement .
On palpation of the tosillar fossa of the affected side there is pain.
Generally stylalgia occurs due to compression of the sympathetic nerve bundle around the carotid vessels by the enlarged Styloid process or calcified Stylohyoid ligament.
You will need to get an orthopantomography done?That's an xray of your mandible,maxillary, teeth which also shows the Styloid process.We measure the length of Styloid process and if it's causing pain it's generally equal to or more than 20mm.
Confirmation of diagnosis may be done by intra oral lignocaine injection before going for surgery which is the most recommended treatment in case of confirmed Stylalgia. A CT scan is a good tool preoperatively for a good estimate of size ,angulation and relation of the Styloid process with other structures.Depending on position a tonsillectomy may be needed to approach the Styloid process intra operatively.
However if not willing for surgery immediately under a doctor's supervision a trial of Carbamazepine may be started.But since this drug has some side effects including bone marrow depression and skin rashes a routine blood test(Haemoglobin ,CBC) before starting the drug has to be done.This drug should strictly be taken under a doctor’s prescription after the blood tests.
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