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Recently diagnosed with chiari melformation

Hi. What are some things it can and can not do? To help with pain
I'm a hairdresser. Love my job.
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620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

Many have shared the same symptoms as you and many have also been put off by Drs that just do not know enuff about Chiari to fluff it off or do something, I really wish they would send us elsewhere if they do not know.

When we do too much our body will crash and take a few days to bounce back...so listen to your body and adjust what and how you do things to try and keep your body from those major crashes....keep a journal so you can try to see what and when you need to slow down and rest.

Hope this helps.
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Avatar universal
When I first started my career I suffered from many intense migraines (1-2 a week), neck pain, exhaustion. I kept going to my dr and just being sent home with different meds T3s, beta blockers, muscle relaxers, migraine therapy pills.... The list goes on. I litrerally go to the dr at least once a month for my suffering trying to find out what was wrong with me.
I've now been doing my job for almost 4 years and my body is totally used to it as I'm lucky to work with RMT's but still suffering massive migraines that last days that hit me on my days off. I still go to the dr trying to figure out leaving with another prescription to fill. Until recently. My dr was on vacation and I got to see the replacement dr. She was blown away I had not been checked yet. She sent me out with an appt for a CT and blood work. Those I did. Tuesday I got a call from dr to come in ASAP to go over results. Results with my reg dr who has blown me off for 9 years now  well to my suprise the CT showed I was chiari melformation type 1. I'm going for my MRI soon as he booked that when I left.
Not knowing a thing about this. He told me to go educate myself so that's what I'm doing now.
Recently I've experienced memory loss, deff have a hard time pronouncing big words now. Migraines that are so intense I can compare them to labour pains. Almost called the ambulance I few times. But with the help of my daughter and hubby I can eventually be comforted to sleep. The migrains are right at the base of my nape and run up the right side of my face. It's soo painful. The next few days after I'm so groggy and feel like I've been hit by a bus. It really worries me.
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7489440 tn?1442008376
Hi and welcome!

Like Selma has said its different for everyone when it comes to this condition..

I myself can't hold a regular job because I have headaches that last for two weeks every month. So I help around on my brothers ranch and I enter horse jumping contest and show/dancing with my horse. But that all changed recently. So basically what I do for the headaches is take a long hot soak in the tub, try to sleep, or even use a pillow i made that keeps my head elevated but also gives my neck a chance to tilt back a little while I'm sleeping. A fellow horseman also gave me the advice of wearing a neck brace during the day so I'm not tempted to lower my head down.(Surprisingly that actually helps a lot). I also use lots of ice packs and frozen veggies ( I've been taken off all meds besides my ibuprofen). But its a lot of trial and error until you find what and what might not work for you. I wanted to give up on a medicine because of the ill effects it had on me but once they lowered the dosage and to once a day instead of twice a day I was fine with it.

Best of luck to you.
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620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

  Everyone is different as to how they will be affected by this condition....for some standing for long periods of time, raising our arms, bending, lifting all can become difficult...

To help with pain, it really depends on what type of pain you have and where....

I myself would use days off to sleep, rest up....take long soaks in a tub....anything and everything that helped me relax. And I avoided things that I noticed would cause pain...some things more then others will cause pain to flare...

  May I ask what symptoms you are having....and what activities tend to make them worse?
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