Does amount of herniation matter?

[juliebug310]

How many mm are all of you? I was told mine was 5mm and they do not do surgery on that small of a herniation. I have read many storys of herniations being the same or even smaller and surgery helped. I am now on new meds to help migranes hopefully they will work so I can go back to work. Any feed back would be insightful. Thanks

[selmaS]

Hi Julie...Like Ray has mentioned it  is more complex than the size of the herniation.

Imagine it this way...u have a straw and u want to drink...but u also have licorice....long thin shoe string licorice...no worries u can still get something to drink up ur straw even with the licorice hanging down into it....but imagine have twizzlers...it is thicker and and shorter would be more diff to pull something thru the straw with this inside it.

Even a gumdrop which is  even shorter will be more of a problem than a long thin piece of  shoestring licorice.....so thickness and shape is more of an issue than length which the mm usually deals with...

Also Ray mentioned the issues u may be dealing with that could be related conditions, so they need to be ruled out... tethered cord, Syringomyelia, IIH, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, sleep apnea...and a few others.


U deff need a few opinions but do try to see a few true chiari drs to find the one that is best for u.

"selma"

[rod44]

CM is much more complex than just the herniation. Your NS will look at how your symptoms are affecting your quality of life and if they can be managed with medication. They look for overcrowding in the area and if there is a CSF (Spinal & Brain Fluid) obstruction.
There are some other related conditions that you need to be checked for such as a Syrinx & tethered Cord.
It is important to have a NS who knows Chiari, many Dr dont recognize this condition and know little about it because it is something not often seen in their practice.  

Ray