Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2022 Jan;65(1):37-40. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2020.00934.

Local Triamcinolone Injection and Oral Steroid in the Patients with Thyrohyoid Syndrome

• Choi N
• Lee G

• KMID: 2524988
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/kjorl-hns.2020.00934

Abstract

Background and Objectives
Thyrohyoid syndrome is rare disease characterized by unilateral chronic neck pain on hyoid bone area. Currently, local triamcinolone injection was widely used, but oral steroid treatment was rarely tried. We compared the oral steroid and triamcinolone injection for the thyrohyoid syndrome.
Subjects and Method
Patients who had unilateral pain and tenderness at thyrohyoid membrane were enrolled while excluding those with other diseases, such as gastroesophageal reflux, by physical exam and history taking. Patients were treated with oral steroid (n=15) and local triamcinolone injection (n=11); pain scores based on the pretreatment and post-treatment numeric rating scale (NRS)-11 were compared between the groups.
Results
Patients with thyrohyoid syndrome were comorbid with globus (42.3%), sore throat (19.2%), and radiating pain (15.4%). In the oral steroid group, posttreatment pain scores (4.0± 2.2) significantly improved (p=0.001) more than pretreatment pain scores (7.7±1.2). In the triamcinolone injection group, posttreatment pain scores (2.3±1.7) also significantly improved (p=0.003) more than pretreatment scores (7.5±1.4). None of the patients revealed treatment related complications. Pretreatment scores were not significantly different, but post-treatment scores wre significantly better in the triamcinolone injection group than in the oral steroid group (p=0.047).
Conclusion
Oral steroid treatment could be easily performed and have significant effects for patients with thyrohyoid syndrome. Local triamcinolone injection was more effective than oral steroid treatment.

Keyword

Neck pain; Steroid; Triamcinolone