Eagle syndrome can be frustrating, making it painful to talk, eat or even turn your head.
That said, Eagle syndrome is a highly treatable condition for patients who seek treatment.
Surgery to shorten the styloid process is the primary treatment for Eagle syndrome. This procedure can be performed through the mouth or through the neck.
Surgery through the mouth requires removal of the tonsils and makes it harder for the surgeon to reach the styloid process. It also slightly increases the risk of damaging the surrounding blood vessels.
Surgery through the neck gives better access to the styloid process, but it leaves a scar and can also damage the nerves of the face.
Nowadays, in Eagle syndrome, the preferred approach is surgery in which the styloid process is reached using an endoscope fitted with a camera, through a much shorter incision and with far less damage to the tissue.
In approximately 80 to 95 percent of people who have surgery for Eagle syndrome, the symptoms improve either completely or partially.