Eagle syndrome: case report

Abstract

Eagle syndrome is an aggregate of symptoms caused by an elongated styloid process, most frequently resulting in headache, facial pain, dysphagia and sensation of foreign body in throat. The proper diagnosis is not difficult with clinical history, physical examination and radiographic assessment if there is a sufficient degree of suspicion. The treatment is very effective. We report here a typical case of Eagle syndrome which was misdiagnosed as trigeminal neuralgia for many years and was treated with carbamazepine. We aim to point the place of Eagle syndrome in the differential diagnosis of facial pain. We also re-emphasize the usefulness of the three-dimensional computed tomography in the diagnosis of Eagle syndrome. Even though Eagle syndrome is a rare condition, in cases of facial pain refractory to treatment or unexplained complaints of the head and neck region, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis as it has therapeutic consequences.