Eagle syndrome

Eagle syndrome

The condition was first described by American otorhinolaryngologist Watt Weems Eagle in 1937. It is caused by an elongated or misshapen styloid process. Symptoms include sudden, sharp nerve-like pain in the jaw bone and joint.

About Eagle syndrome in brief

Summary Eagle syndromeThe condition was first described by American otorhinolaryngologist Watt Weems Eagle in 1937. It is caused by an elongated or misshapen styloid process or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament. Symptoms include sudden, sharp nerve-like pain in the jaw bone and joint, back of the throat, and base of the tongue. Classic eagle syndrome is present on only one side, however, rarely, it may be present on both sides.

In vascular Eagle syndrome, the elongated styloid. process comes in contact with the internal carotid artery below the skull. In these cases, turning the head can cause compression of the artery or a tear inside the blood vessel, which restricts blood flow and can potentially lead to a transient ischemic attack or stroke.