Neck/Head/Neurological Problems worsened after fall hitting head/jarring neck

[angelize]

I am 43 yrs., I have been disabled/bedridden/wheelchair for chronic severe back & neck pain, weakness & chronic fatigue for 5 years now with no answers, started after sudden severe illness (lyme). I had Previous bad car accident in 1995 (whiplash, concussion, back & neck injuries, all resolved with PT) until I became ill in 2006. pain all came back, worsened,became chronic, along with fatigue. I went from very active & worked over 20 years- To bedridden these last 5 yrs. X-rays (many since 2005) have all shown sclerotic vertebra in thoracic, and degeneration with spurs in cervical, thoracic & lumbar. Doctors dont say anything concerning about degeneration.
But now I am really worsening since I recently fell hit my head, twisted/injured my neck, now have severe pain up neck into back of head daily, more migraines, also dizzyness when I have my head up or to side.
Also have constant rushing air noise in ears-over 5 yrs.now worse since falling, neck creaking with turning head, more numbness (legs, feet, arms, hands, back of head) when sleeping, sitting, or with head up or turned to side. Also now getting bad gagging/choking reflex with turning head or looking up, right leg has been twitching/spasming daily since I fell recently, all symptoms worsening. Recent cervical MRI (after fall against head/neck) shows spurs mildly abutting spinal cord C4-C7, and slight low-lying cerebral tonsils. I can't even hardly hold my head up, the head/neck pain is unbearable and wakes me up all through night, also cant move legs arms when wake up due to numbness, and pins/needle numbness up back of head when I wake up with head too far back or too far too side. Any ideas on what could be wrong? Dr. didnt think MRI showed anything to cause this. Since I have been in chronic pain & disabled so many years they are not taking these worsening symptoms serious.
Do you have any ideas or should I go to any certain specialist? Any ideas on possible causes with these head/neck problems would be appreciated, as I am getting worse and dont know what to do. Thankyou

[angelize]

Thank you so much for the great information, I do agree that I have that chiari problem, I have every one of those symptoms plus others. I really think that is adding to anything else I have going on, especially since I hit my head and jarred my neck again recently. I did have a head MRI last week now too (both with and without contrast). I am waiting for results. I am hoping that will show more information. I have been wanting to get into a neurologist, I am in so much pain daily and so fatigued that it is hard to find one close enough as riding in car is so painful and appts are extremely exhausting. So I am hoping to find one close enough that will be familiar with the Chairi malformation. I am in Central WI so I don't know of any specialists in this area, I am hoping to find one. Thank you for the links and all the great info, that is very helpful.

[angelize]

Thank you so much for your reply and all the helpful information. I am looking for a new doctor, I am not happy with my previous one, especially since he does not offer any help in finding specialist or help with this severe pain (I recently found out he is leaving the clinic, so that may be why he hasnt been very helpful). I am trying to find a neurologist too, as my symptoms continue to worsen, along with neurological such as numbness - waking up every few hours with numb arms and legs, etc. I am trying your suggestions while I am waiting for new doctor appt. I want to thank you for the helpful info. and hopefully I can get into new dr. soon.

[Red_Star]

A standard MRI - sagittal (side) view is used to help identify Chiari Malformation.  This will show a herniation of the cerebellar tonsils through the skull into the spinal canal.  A cine (stands for cinema) MRI helps to determine the amount of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow.  A cine MRI can be useful in cases of borderline/Chiari 0 malformations or if decompression surgery is needed.

By the sounds of your symptoms it sounds like decompression surgery is needed.  A head or neck injury can worsen existing Chiari Malformation and in some cases cause it.  Two links below from the Chiari Malformation community that are interesting.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Chiari-Malformation/Unofficial-Symptoms-List-/show/1192372

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Chiari-Malformation/4-5mm-symptoms/show/1270893

Excerpt from the Mayo Clinic on some of the many possible symptoms of Chiari Malformation...

"Chiari malformation type I

Headaches, often severe, are the classic symptom of Chiari malformation. They're typically precipitated with sudden coughing, sneezing or straining. People with Chiari malformation type I can also experience:

Neck pain (running down the shoulders at times)
Unsteady gait (problems with balance)
Poor hand coordination (fine motor skills)
Numbness and tingling of the hands and feet
Dizziness
Difficulty swallowing (sometimes accompanied by gagging, choking and vomiting)
Vision problems (blurred or double vision)
Slurred speech

Less often, people with Chiari malformation may experience:

Ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus)
Poor bladder control
Chest pain, in a band-like pattern around the chest
Curvature of the spine (scoliosis) related to spinal cord impairment
Abnormal breathing — specifically, sleep apnea, characterized by periods of breathing cessation during sleep"

[ggreg]

I presume your doctor didn't offer one thing to help you with this apparent neck injury from your recent fall.  He should have given you anti-inflammatories and some extra pain medicine to tide you over until your neck gets better.  There are many things he shoudl have done, so before I give some common "home remedies," you really have to see a new doctor for your recent fall, either a neurologist or an orthopedist, preferably with a surgical group, because you may benefit from surgery to correct your OLD chronic health issues.

So, other than a true injury that apparently didnt show up on the MRI, could be you've pulled your muscles rather badly in your neck, so you or a relative or friend or a mssage therapist can rub out that neck for you.  It has to include the shoulders, since pulling muscles works both upwards and downwards.  But do not rub the sides of the neck, rather rub the muscles on either side of the vertebra.  Apply heat to the back of your neck and to your shoulders, to help relax the strained muscles.  Use more pillows when you sleep, to keep your head in the correct position, and if you will lay on your side with a thick foam pillow, and a pillow either under your arm or between your legs, or both, your head should stay right there and yet not pull on the muscles.  You want your head to tilt back just a little bit, to keep your airway open.  

I am sorry you fell, and I'm even sorrier that your doc had so little sympathy for you, particularly with your new symptoms.  I do think it's probably muscle strain, that can hurt just as much as broken bone, so consider that to be the problem until you can get in with a new doc to reevaluate your old status, and also give proper treatment for your recent fall.