My question is, should I be seriously considering surgery soon to de-tether my spinal cord before things get much worse?
I'm a 44 year old female. I had surgery to repair spina bifida (meningocele) at the age of 9 mos. old.
I was diagnosed with tethered cord 10 years ago. I have scoliosis of the lumbar spine, foot & leg abnormalities - curly toes, smaller left calf, left leg shorter and does not straighten properly. Nerve conduction tests showed that my left foot/leg is quite compromised. I can't feel much in my left foot, seems to be getting colder and crampy more often. My legs are getting weaker especially the left. Bouts of back pain and sciatica in right leg. If I wear shoes with a heel over 2 inches my left ankle will buckle. The last year I have noticed my neck gets stiff and muscles sore which can spread into my upper back ( hoping it's just tension) When I close my eyes my balance seems very off and I'm experiencing ears ringing. Also may be having bladder issues (not sure) I will be seeing a Urologist in June. I recently had another MRI this time of my thorasic & cervical spine, still awaitng the results. Should I be getting an MRI of my brain done for Chiari? If I should be considering de-tether surgery, should it be soon? Also I would need to find a Neurologist who specializes in this in Canada. I would really appreciate feedback on this, thanks so much.