I hear ya...I am always telling my daughter.."don't make me laugh"......ouch!....it also causes me to cough...which also hurts......the pain can cycle...any trauma...stress or nothing at all can causea flare up.....in May '07 I fell...and have been really bad ever since...I have had this since birth, and was just dx, in Feb '08....but I can say for certain I have been symptomatic all my life...I just adapted to avoid the pain which I thought was normal and everyone had it because I always did.....but when it gets too bad u just have to do something.
I am going to travel to NY to see an expert....where or should I say how far r u willing to travel to get to a dr?
Use the ASAP website...it's a d o t o r g .....a board member is from Palm Bay , FL....she may be able to suggest an expert close to home for u.
Godspeed
"selma"
Thanks for your reply. I have an MRI yearly to evaluate the progress of my Chiari. I do agree with finding a physician that is well-skilled in chiari, but who? I live in Palm Beach County Florida. I have not been able to find anyone that I trust and has the experience. I just want to know if this pain is going to cntinually get worse or will it ease ever. Laughing gives me a headache.
With a herniation of 9-10 almost ten yrs ago..get another MRI....it could have grown or u could have developed other chiari related conditions. There is no cure for chiari, just treatments......it progresses ,but not the way u want.
You also may be able to get a better treatment now as opposed to ten yrs ago. I suggest u find an expert NS in chiari...if they r not an expert (min 200 chiari surgeries a yr) keep looking till u find one.
Also stop by the chiari forum here on medhelp......
Good luck
Godspeed
"selma"