Stylalgia and its surgical management by intra oral route -clinical experience of 332 cases

Stylalgia is a pain syndrome occurring in connection with on elongated or malpositioned styloid piocess and is more common than generally thought. 332 cases of stylalgia were diagnosed over a period of 15 years. The charcteristic symptoms were chronic throat pain during swallowing with referred otalgia or referred pain to cheek or lower part of neck associated with foreign body sensation in throat. Movements of head or act of deglutition initiates or increases the pain The diagnosis of stylalgia is based on symptoms, palpation of enlarged styloid process mtraorally in the tonsillar region and elicitation of similar nagging throat pain or pain in the neck or foreign body sensation in the throat. Confirmation of enlarged styloid process is always done by radiological examination of styloid process per orbital view. Bilateral enlargement of tyloid process were found in 196 patients (59.03%) and unilateral enlargement was found in 136 (40.96%) patients. All the patients were operated under local anaesthesia by intra oral route without any complications.