Earaches - headaches for 5 years - CT findings
March 3, 2022 | 25,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Jörgen Kohl
Dear Doctor,
Gender - male
Age - 24
I have been suffering from pain behind/under the ear for about 5 years, which also causes headaches and difficulty concentrating.
After endless examinations, something was found on a CT scan (neck area).
-> "There is evidence of partial ossification of the stylohyoid ligament on both sides, 12mm on the right and 15mm on the left."
Could this possibly be the problem we are looking for?
If so, what can I expect?
Examinations:
ENT
Neurology (antidepressants)
Psychology (mild depression due to headaches)
Orthopedics (physiotherapy)
CT scan of the skull
MRI of the skull
EEG
MRI of the cervical spine
CT scan of the neck
I have already scheduled an appointment with an ENT specialist, but due to the long waiting time, I would like to have a small insight into my health now.
Thank you for your response.
Sincerely,
Count Nino
Dear Count Nino,
In order to answer your question correctly, I need some more information:
Is the pain constant or does it come and go?
What is the pattern of the pain (fluctuating, attacks with complete relief in between, etc.)?
How would you rate the intensity of the pain (at rest/ during an attack) on a scale from 0 to 10?
What is the nature of the pain (stabbing, sharp, burning, dull, etc.)?
Where does the pain start and where does it radiate to?
Is there anything that triggers the pain (speaking, chewing, etc.)?
It is very likely that the ossification of the stylohyoid ligament is just an incidental finding on the CT scan. If anything, it may be related to functional issues on a muscular or fascial level (such as tension, imbalances, adhesions, etc.). These are not visible on MRI and CT scans unlike structural changes.
Furthermore, removing the ossification of the ligament would require a very heroic surgical intervention, which is not recommended.
What medications are you currently taking?
Best regards,
Dr. med. Jörgen Kohl
