Help!

[Tharris85]

Does anyone know about arthritis in the cervical spine post decompression survey. I am in horrible pain in my neck and its causing me to have pressure in my head and my dr said I have severe arthritis in c1-c7. They want me to wear a neck brace but IRS this have anything to do with the Chiari and why it hurts to hold my head up?

[Viva001]

Was there any discussion of cervical compression before surgery?

[selmaS]

  Well some Chiari specialists have a NL that work with them and they use the Beighton scale to help dx as well as other factors as not all with EDS are hypermobile and the Beighton scale test is only a few joints that may be affected....but it is still what they use in addition to asking some basic questions....

  Do u bruise easy, slow to heal...do u have a blue tint to the white of ur eyes, what is the Beighton score....this is just a few...then I was told I had this...yrs b4 I was told I had Raynauds, with this they said it is Raynauds Phenomenon...part of EDS...cold hands and feet....

http://www.hypermobility.org/beighton.php

After giving me the dx I was told of a rheumatoid Dr that specializes in EDS she is  in MD...and I have yet to get there....and then they send u to a geneticist to see which type of EDS it is as there are a few different types.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypermobility

Flexion and extension xrays are done to check for the instability....and some Drs will lift up on ur head to see if that releases some of the pressure....

[Tharris85]

My family doctor has never went over my MRI results with me so today since I was having the pain and pressure in head all weekend and the swelling in the back of my neck he went through them and he said the MRI of my cervical spine that was done right before surgery states severe arthritis c1-c7 with deteareation. I want to be checked for Eds because I know I have it but I don't know where to go. I called a rhematoid dr and he didn't even know what eds was. How do I get diagnosed and then how do I go about finding out if I have cranial instability?

[selmaS]

  Hi...post op we can have issues with our neck especially  if we have ehlers-danlos..this is a connective tissue disorder..basically it holds all the joints together...and they chipped bone from 2 of the vertabrea...making this a weaker point...and making us bobble heads....this does cause pressure HA's...and a brace may help...but  a DX would give u more of a deff idea of what is going on....how did they get the arthritis dx?

It is also possible for us to get RA...but, b4 I would accept that dx I would want to rule out all related chiari conditions first...and not just take the first possible one. JMHO