Pre-surgery, there were no medications that helped me. Post-surgery, there have been no medications that helped me. Advil and ice have been the most relief I can get (that and rest). I did have minor relief with muscle relaxer - carisoprodol - but it wasn't significant enough relief for me to decide it was worth taking regularly.
I'm currently trying Topamax and will see where I go from here. . . as of now, my headaches do seem to be of less severity, but they're still there. It doesn't help the pressure or the "vice-grip" feeling of the headache, just the pain aspect. It also doesn't help the other symptoms of numbness, pins & needless, weakness, dizziness, nausea, confusion, cognitive decline, etc. I've just completed 2 weeks today, though, so I don't have a true understanding of how well it will work for me.
Best wishes,
Annie
Hi there are many with low lying tonsils and or Chiari and may never need surgery....and no meds, if ur Chiari is symptomatic and progressing will help.
U will need to have a CINE MRI to determine if u have a CSF obstruction, if so a syrinx can form....if u already have a syrinx, then u can develop perm nerve damage....so, no having surgery is not always an option,