Does decompression surgery for Chiari cause herniated discs in cervical spine?

[katydee]

My daughter had decompression surgery in May 2010.  Her neck pain is getting progressively worse, and now she can't sit up to read or study.  She had to take a medical leave of absence from college.  Her MRI last August showed 2 herniated discs in her neck, but the MRI from two weeks ago shows 4 problem areas.  Her neurologist has no answers as to the cause and only recommends pain meds or epidurals.  I'm looking for the closest Chiari specialist (we live in NJ) who can help.  Did anyone else have cervical disc problems after the surgery, and is there a doctor on the east coast who is "amazing?"  I've read posts about Dr. Oro (where is he?) and the Chiari Institute in Colorado.  We would travel if I felt they could really do something.  By the way, she doesn't have overt signs of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, but maybe it's not easy to detect?

[selmaS]

  Hi, there r different ways to be evaluated for EDS, there r some typical symptoms or signs, but there r several types of EDS so not everyone may have those and it is not the only or best way to rule this condition out.

SO, I would suggest u take a look at a few videos I posted in the EDS group.....they r by a Dr that also has EDS, u may find it helpful.

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Ehlers-Danlos-Syndrome/show/417?controller=forums&action=show&id=417&camp=msc

     "selma"

[cash242]

I had a neck fusion 10mo post op. it was weak to start with and dr oro stated that do to the extreme flexion they put your neck it made it worse.

[katydee]

How do you rule out EDS, and are you considering neck surgery?

[selmaS]

  Hi....the decompression does not cause bulging disks, but in a weakened area will allow more to slip post op as they r moving things around, and what may have been holding them in place is shifted to make room for CSF flow, may just be the catalyst to have them move.

For those with EDS disk issues and cerviocranial instabilty can get worse, and I know 6 months post op my disks that were bulging shifted more so that at my 1 yr post op I was told I need  surgery on that now too.

  Not all with EDS is evident and all of us should be checked and have it ruled out.

  So, again, not the surgery itself, but an underlying issue that was there b4 and the surgery triggers it.

      "selma"