how to soothe neck pain

[jellybean12391]

I have type 1, 6.8 mm, and my worse symptom is always neck pain. Today, my neck popped in a weird way and it hurts to just hold my head up. What are some at home remedies or exercises I can try to make the pain lessen?

[jellybean12391]

I have not had a CINE. Yes, they were referring to the size of the herniation. Which I thought was ridiculous. He also told me I probably just have a headache problem.

[The_Marine_Corp_Brat]

Unfortunately some NS and NL alike whether specialists or not decide if the herniation is not greater than 10 mm that is is not significant enough to be considered Chiari malformation. I was told this by a NL in my area. He told me I barely made the cut off for most specialists to even consider looking at me as a "true Chiari patient" and not a hypochondriac. Get a second opinion! Selma is right you need a CINE MRI and a second opinion! They do not have any specialists in my area and I have sent my information off to several that I found on the list of Dr."s they have on here. Check it out there may be one on here that is close to you that actually is a true specialist! :) I have the same problem with pain and nothing ever really makes it go away totally, but I made a rice heating bag that I warm up in the microwave for moist heat, it doesn't smell the greatest so I add potpourri to mine (it helps some with the starchy smell) and use that on my back and will alternate it with ice on a rare occasion (ice and I don't get along :) except for my HA's) if the heat alone doesn't seem to be enough. I used fleece like for sweatpants and left the soft side out! sewed the square up except for a hole big enough for the rice and potpourri (turn it inside out the way the seams aren't showing Lol!) put the stuff in sew it up and warm it up! It's awesome! Make it as big or small as you want!! Hope this helps sweetie!!! I will be praying for you!

[tdaniel770]

If you don't mind me asking, what was the size of your herniation that they didn't think it was significant enough?  I thought the size had very little to do with it.

[selmaS]

  For what it is worth, mine was 4mm and 6 mm.....

Chiari is not the herniation, it is the malformation of the skull.....and Drs that say other wise have not been reading up on the most recent research on chiari and will not  be of help to u....

Someone with a 2mm herniation can have more issues then someone with a 13 mm herniation....

It is the width of the tonsils and if they r causing an obstruction and if there is overcrowding.....usually referring to a retroflexed odontoid or other anomaly ...like a kinked brain stem....these r more of an issue then how long the tonsils r.

Find a true Chiari specialist and u will see a huge difference.

[The_Marine_Corp_Brat]

Size doesn't have anything to do with it. Mine is 9mm  and I Selma is correct... Chiari is not the herniation, it is the malformation of the skull..It is the width of the tonsils and if they r causing an obstruction and if there is overcrowding.....
It is also about finding a specialist to do the right tests and to listen to you and your symptoms.
Needless to say he is also the one that said that there was nothing more wrong with me than that my brain was to big for my skull, nothing to worry about, no big deal....Didn't matter that I was having symptoms (severe) even then. He wouldn't tell me the name of the "birth defect" I have cause it isn't anything to worry about. his words. My GP sent me elsewhere! I am still on the "Royal Chiari merry-go-round" but am working on rectifying that issue!
I know that it is not the size of the herniation and because of my GP I now have a name which was why I came here after lots of research and Dr.'s. I also have other health issues that complicate my Chiari. I had one NS say he wouldn't touch my neck compression issues due to the Chiari, You have all the symptoms (of both) but it's not a big deal, you've been able to live with it for this long so it can't be that bad. What treatment plan did you have in mind? if it's the same as what I'm thinking we might be able to do something. I just looked at him like he'd lost his mind! I'm not a NS or a doc! Lol! Some people should not carry a licence to practice medicine! Lol!

[tdaniel770]

That was why I was asking.  It sounded like you were having all kinds of issues and I couldn't understand why they were just blowing it all off.  I had a doctor tell me that the symptoms meant nothing. Unless, I was burning my limbs on accident, such as sticking them in scolding water and not knowing it, there was nothing anyone could do for me.  I just know some doctors, who aren't specialist put a lot of emphasis on the size.  I hope you find answers soon!!