Does any one know about chiari malformation and syringomyelia.please?

Hi, I have just recentley had an mri scan after being unwell for a long time and being mis diagonosed so many times. I saw a neurologist who refered me on for an mri to check it wasnt ms. What the mri did come up with was chiari malformation, and a syringomyelia?..I took my results to my gp,the gp i saw knew nothing about it, so got another doctor in, he too, couldnt give me any awnsers except refering me on to the neuro surgeons, who iam now waiting to see. But I was wondering in the mean time if any one knew of it or even had it. As i have just started a new job where i spend all day lifting, and im thinking that it cant be helping? so anyone with any information id love to hear from you.thanks

There are 3 types of chiari. One is mostly picked up while looking for something else, and causes few problems the others cause more problems. It is a condition where the lower part of the brain where it becomes the spinal cord drops a little bit (or a lot) into the hole (foramen magnum) at the base of the skull - the one that is made for the spinal cord. This can (as you might imagine) put pressure on those parts of the brain.

Syringomyelia (SM) is a disorder in which a cyst forms within the spinal cord. This cyst, called a syrinx, expands and elongates over time, destroying the center of the cord. Since the spinal cord connects the brain to the nerves in the extremities, this damage may result in pain, weakness, and stiffness in the back, shoulders, arms or legs. Other symptoms may include headaches and loss of the ability to feel extremes of hot or cold, especially in the hands and disruption in body temperature. SM may also adversely affect sweating, sexual function and bladder and bowel control.

Generally, there are two forms of SM. This sounds like it may be what you have. The disorder may be related to a congenital abnormality of the brain called Arnold Chiari malformation. A syrinx may then develop in the cervical region of the spinal cord; this is referred to as communicating syringomyelia. Some people with this form of the disorder also have hydrocephalus (water on the brain), a condition in which CSF accumulates in the skull, or arachnoiditis, in which a covering of the spinal cord is inflamed.

The second major form of SM occurs as a complication of trauma, meningitis, hemmorrhage or tumor. Here, the cyst or syrinx develops in a segment of the spinal cord damaged by one or more of these conditions. The syrinx may start to expand; this is sometimes referred to as noncommunicating syringomyelia.

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Syringomyelia is common in patients with Chiari malformation. It may cause segmental flaccid weakness and atrophy of the distal upper extremities; pain and temperature senses may be lost in a capelike distribution over the neck and proximal upper extremities, but light touch is preserved.