SYRINGOMYELIA
It is a fluid-filled cyst (syrinx) that is formed within the spinal cord (cistern of fluid inside the spinal cord). The cyst which is call a syrinx gets very big overtime, destroying a portion of the spinal cord from the center and expanding outward. When the syrinx expand it compresses and injuries the nerve fibers that carry information from the brain to the extremities.
SYMPTOMS
When the spinal cord get damage it will often leads to weakness in the arms and legs, stiffness in the back, shoulders, arms, or legs, and chronic, severe pain. Headaches, loss of ability to feel extremes of hot or cold (in the hands), and loss of bladder are other symptoms. Every person may experience a different feeling of symptoms depending on where in the spinal cord the syrinx forms and how far it…show more content… The type of surgery and its location depend on the type of syringomyelia a person has. When someone has a Chiari malformation, the main purpose of surgery will be to provide more space at the base of the skull and upper neck, without entering the brain or spinal cord. The cyst will become much small in this case. Most persons with Chiai malformation will results in stabilization or modest improvement in symptoms. Having to do surgery more than once, because of the recurrence of syringomyelia it may not be successful over a long term.
Sometimes you have to wait and see if the cyst is small and not causing any symptoms, your doctor will prefer to monitor the condition. Syringomyelia cannot be treated with medication, but pain relievers and muscle relaxants may help to ease some of the symptoms. Shunting can be used, it is a thin tube that is inserted into the cyst to drain the fluid into the abdominal cavity. The shunt contains a one-way valve to prevent backflow. This type of treatment is used if hydrocephalus (build-up of cerebral fluid inside the brain) is also
