Eagle Syndrome: The Huge Socioprofessional Impact of a Minor Lengthening of the Styloid Process

Amen  Moussa; Marwa  Bouhoula; Samia  Ayachi; Maher  Maoua; Houda  Kalboussi; Nejib  Mrizak

doi:10.18502/crcp.v9i1.16824

Amen Moussa Department of Occupational Medicine, Farhat Hached Academic Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia
Marwa Bouhoula Department of Occupational Medicine, Farhat Hached Academic Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia
Samia Ayachi Maxillofacial surgery department, Sahloul Academic Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia
Maher Maoua Department of Occupational Medicine, Farhat Hached Academic Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia
Houda Kalboussi Department of Occupational Medicine, Farhat Hached Academic Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia
Nejib Mrizak Department of Occupational Medicine, Farhat Hached Academic Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/crcp.v9i1.16824

Keywords: Chronic Headache; Eagle Syndrome; Fitness To Work; Nurse; Stylohyoid Syndrome

Abstract

agle Syndrome (ES) is a rare clinical condition presenting with anterolateral neck pain and potential serious complications. This case report details a head nurse in the emergency room (ER) with a severe throbbing headache, trismus, left-sided dysphagia, left otalgia, gum pain, and a very intense left-sided headache, associated with ipsilateral facial hypoesthesia. The patient met the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3) criteria for headaches attributed to inflammation of the stylohyoid ligament, establishing the diagnosis of Eagle syndrome. Chronic headaches associated with ES, as observed in this case, can impact concentration, comprehension, communication, and work performance, leading to economic loss. This prompts the question: Are individuals with ES capable of working under intense physical and psychological conditions? The paper proposes a management strategy for ES patients, emphasizing the need for further research on the impact of ES on occupational fitness, as no published studies currently address this concern.