Hello, echoing what both Selma and Nellan responded to you above, look on the list for a chiari specialist - if none are listed in your immediate geographical area, you may have to consider some travel. Many people must travel, but it sure is worth it when you can get some significant answers to your questions. My suggestion would be to keep a detailed pain diary that lists specifically what you are doing before the onset of symptoms. You mentioned your coughing, leaning over, playing with your child. Keep note of those and even some other ones you may notice. When you do see a specialist, your pain diary will be of so much help. I wish you well with getting the cine MRI, as that will also tell a lot.
Not for us here, looking at your MRI we can recognize a herniation or syrinx and a retroflexed odontoid.....but that does not mean much.
It is not how long the herniation is, but if it is creating a CSF obstruction....and how it is affecting you and your overall health....those should be considerations as to whether your Chiari is as you put it "significant".
Many of us do have mild scoliosis....I do....as well as a few other issues...and sometimes it is the related issues that can cause similar symptoms....
Only a true Chiari specialist will be able to give you that info......all we can do is speculate.
We have done a full spinal MRI as well as brain, but no CINE MRI yet. My doctor referred me off to a neurologist and is leaving him to determine whether it's significant when he looks at it. There seems to be only a few things on my MRI other than the extended cerebellar tonsils. I have a mildly enlarged spleen, prominent adenoids, and a very minimal left thoracic scoliosis. I actually have the pictures of my MRI on my computer. Is there a way to tell how significant a malformation is by looking at a regular MRI?
Hi, Selma is sooooo smart when it comes to all of this confusing stuff associetated with Chiari !!! But Selma has given you very good leads a lot of the things that I have done, for years I have been misdiagnosed..every time I went to a Doctore they always said, migraines or tension headaches,and they were always in the back of my head and there are a lot of similarities in the sytems that you describe ...but I didn't find out I had Chiari & CCI till they did and MRI of the brain & spine ...and yes please fine a good specialist!!!!! It will make such a big difference... Good luck :)
In addition to the CINE MRI, MRI's of the complete spine, cervical, thoracic and lumbar should be done to rule out disk issues, tethered cord, and syringomyelia.
Then testing for connective tissue and auto immune conditions should be done.,...it is overwhelming I know, but will help in the long run to do this now, as these related conditions can affect recovery should you require surgery.
Thank you! I'll definitely research the list and see what I can find. I'm pretty sure the pain when I cough is from the block of flow, but it seems to only happen while coughing and doing certain activities like bending over or tossing my son up into the air. I'll have to urge my neurologist to send me for a cine mri as well because we didn't do one.
Hi....Chiari symptoms can cycle and change so, it can be hard to realize how we are feeling is in fact a symptom.
Plus, Chiari has a few related conditions that can cause issues and symptoms similar to Chiari so they too need to be ruled out..
Certain things we do can cause an obstruction of flow...did you have a CINE MRI? A regular MRI may not show the disruption of flow as they are still pics and they can not tell from that a CINE MRI is a moving account of how the fluid is moving.,...
Find a true Chiari specialist, that is the other part of your problem....Drs are not aware of this condition or the related conditions and how they can and do affect us....see our list of Drs to help your research Dr as the list is not a referral nor an endorsement of those on the list.
Also! If this is just early signs can chiari progress?