Burning Headache

I have been having headaches that along with pain, there is a burning sensation.  Does anyone else ever have headaches like this?  Could it be caused by the Chiari?

[selmaS]

  Hi...where do u feel the burning? Do u know if u have a syrinx as well?

I know syrinx's r known to cause those types of sensations....and I do not know if that would be the only reason, but I did not have that....

  It my not be Chiari directly but may be related...

[tdaniel770]

In the back of my head, where it usually hurts anyways.  No the mri did not show a syrinx.  I was glad for that!  

[selmaS]

  Hmm...did they do a MRI of all areas of the spine? Thoracic and lumbar along with the cervical...I am assuming which I should not that the MRI  that did not show  a syrinx was of the cervical spine,....but we can have them form in the thoracic and lumbar spine too.

[tdaniel770]

I know they did one of the lumbar, and I believe the thoracic.  They did not say if they saw one or not.  I went to Dr Oro, so I would think he would have told me if they had seen one.

[selmaS]

  Yes, he is very good at that...so that is not the issue...I am just going step by step as to what I think it could be.....

  Do u have a retroflexed odontoid?

[tdaniel770]

They did a lumbar and a cervical MRI.  I don't know what retroflexed odontoid is.

[selmaS]

  The odontoid bone is the one that holds ur skull above the spinal cord....it should have a natural curve to it just like the lordosis of the cervical spine, but it can be retroflexed or turned or curved the wrong way causing the tip of the  bone to press into the brain stem...

My odontoid was not turned completely around the wrong way, but enuff to cause CSF obstruction along with my minimal herniation...and in turning my head it would cut off  CSF flow and cause Drop attacks along with many other symptoms.

I just wonder if this pressing may be what u feel as heat or burning....

[Viva001]

I have had burning pain in my head, but also elsewhere occasionally.

[selmaS]

Did u have a syrinx or a retroflexed odontoid?

[Viva001]

no.  the burning HAs were before surgery & the burning spots have been since.  I cant say that it's particularly troublesome, in the scheme of things.

[selmaS]

  Hmmm well I am trying to see if there is a underlying cause....or connection.

[tdaniel770]

The only thing they pointed out on my MRI was that had have "reverse cervical curvature" in my neck.  That may be causing some of my problems, I am not sure.

[selmaS]

  yes and I had that it can be from whip lash...loss of cervical lordosis or reversal of the cervical curve...it is all the same thing....and it can be very painful....

This can cause the muscles in the shoulders and neck to twist making it more painful as time goes ,....

[tdaniel770]

So did you have any kind of treatment for it?  As of right now we are trying to treat my headaches with medication to see if that works.  So far it hasn't.  Then he said we would try a nerve block.  He is very thorough with everything before he suggest surgery.  And believe me, I am perfectly fine with finding something that helps!!  I do have to have a cine mri in November.

[selmaS]

  For the loss of cervical lordosis, yes, I had PT this was yrs b4 I knew about my Chiari bcuz they did not do MRI's back then...only xrays....so they knew my neck was way out of whack.,..the accident happened when I was 15...so it went yrs b4 it was dx'd and then treated....but  PT did help.

  Actually a Chiropractor helped me...again this was yrs b4 I got my chiari dx....so I had no idea then...but it did help with my  other issue and it was able to be seen  on MRI the improvement....so I know even after yrs, it can be helped.

   I am not telling u to go to a Chiro as it is not good for Chiarians....but, with the right PT and as long as they leave ur head and neck alone they can work on those muscles in the shoulders to help with the lordosis issue.

[tdaniel770]

Thanks!!  I will look into finding a PT!!

[selmaS]

  Just make sure they know about Chiari and all of what may be going on with u and not to pull on ur neck....it is a touchy area and u need a PT that knows about this.

  Keep us posted.

[tdaniel770]

OK, I sure will!!!  Thank you for all of your help!!! Love this forum and all the people in it!!!

[selmaS]

  No worries....

  Good luck <3