Traumatic Eagle's Syndrome: A Rare Cause of Neck Pain and Headache in Trauma Patients

BACKGROUND Eagle syndrome can be a rare cause of neck pain and headache. The elongated styloid process typically irritates and compresses adjacent neurovascular structures in the neck, leading to insidious signs and symptoms classic of Eagle syndrome. However, neck pain after traumatic events can be the only sign of elongated styloid processes. Therefore, knowledge of this syndrome is necessary to prevent misdiagnosis and futile attempts at treatment, especially in the setting of trauma. CASE REPORT In this article, we report the case of a 20-year-old man who presented with throbbing neck pain and headache immediately after a motor vehicle accident. The patient's symptoms did not improve with analgesics and muscle relaxants. He was then admitted for overnight monitoring while awaiting computed tomography imaging of the head and neck, which revealed elongated styloid processes on both sides. CONCLUSIONS One of the most challenging aspects of diagnosing Eagle syndrome is the need for high clinical suspicion combined with adequate understanding of the neck anatomy and its structures. Owing to the proximity of the elongated styloid process to important neurovascular structures, such as the carotid arteries and vagus nerve, early diagnosis of Eagle syndrome is necessary to guide the clinical decision-making and provide optimal care for patients.