Signs and symptoms of Eagle syndrome: - Sharp, shooting pain in the jaw, back of the throat, base of the tongue, ears, neck, and/or face - Difficulty swallowing - Sensation of having a foreign object in throat - Pain from chewing, swallowing, turning the neck, or touching the back of the throat - Ringing or buzzing in the ears

Causes and diagnosis of Eagle syndrome: - Eagle syndrome occurs due to elongation of the styloid process or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament - Elongation of the styloid process can occur spontaneously or since birth - Reports of Eagle syndrome being elicited after wisdom tooth removal - Diagnosis is suspected when a patient presents with symptoms such as unilateral neck pain, sore throat, or tinnitus - Palpation of the tip of the styloid process in the back of the throat may be possible - Bimanual palpation of the styloid through the tonsillar bed can worsen symptoms - Lidocaine infiltration into the tonsillar bed may relieve symptoms - Imaging techniques such as CT scan with 3D reconstruction are important for diagnosis

Treatment options for Eagle syndrome: - Surgical treatment is preferred for both classic and vascular forms of Eagle syndrome - Partial styloidectomy is the preferred surgical approach - Repair of a damaged carotid artery is essential to prevent further complications - Medical management may include pain and anti-inflammatory medications, antidepressants, and corticosteroids - Overall success rate for treatment (medical or surgical) is about 80%

Epidemiology of Eagle syndrome: - Approximately 4% of the general population have an elongated styloid process, and about 4% of them experience symptoms of Eagle syndrome - Incidence of stylohyoid syndrome may be about 0.16% - More recent studies report the incidence of styloid elongation to be as high as 54% - Patients with Eagle syndrome are typically between 30 and 50 years of age, but it can occur in teenagers and older patients - It is more common in women, with a male to female ratio of approximately 1:2