title: The involvement of the styloid process in head and neck pain--a preliminary study.
abstract: The styloid process and associated structures have been implicated in a variety of craniomandibular dysfunctions and pain complaints. There have been anecdotal reports that treatment directed at this area can result in a dramatic reduction in referred symptoms, somatic pain and autonomic signs as well as an increase in mandibular range of motion. In the past, an elongation of the styloid process was considered necessary for pain and dysfunction symptoms to arise from this area. The patients in this study did not have elongated styloid processes, yet had orofacial pain and dysfunction symptoms seemingly referred from this area. An injection of local anaesthetic and corticosteroid in the area of the styloid process significantly reduced lateral head pain and improved mandibular function in spite of an absence of any demonstrable pathology at the styloid process.
authors.affiliation: Jaw Function and Orofacial Pain Research Unit, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia and School of Dentistry, University of Gent, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palesy
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Boever
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Klineberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011318:Prilocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D011318:Prilocaine; C018230:betamethasone acetate phosphate; D001623:Betamethasone