I was diagnosed with the Chiari back in 2005 and I was already having problems with my right arm and hand. I had so many mris and scans and finally was sent to the doctor that told me what was wrong. I had no idea what this dr was talking about until he told me I was born with it which really made me wonder why it had never been found. Anyway I was really scared to have surgery around my brain but when I ask what would happen and when he told my I would eventually lose the use of my arms and just the thought of never being able to hug my daughter or granddaughters was unbearable I scheduled the surgery. It went fine. I went back in two weeks everything looked good cane back home and the next day I noticed a little bulge in the sight but just figured it was where they had taken the staples out. Well over the next week or two ur got bigger than a orange so I go to my family doctor. He looks at it says he could drain it but wanted my surgeron to look at it. So he calls my surgeron and they tell me to come straight there. So we head there once in the room I don't see the doctor but his intern. She states there us a problem but I needed another mri before they could do anything. So I have the mri now know this thing is getting bigger everyday. Finally they call,me tell me I needed another surgery because the bulge was filling up with spinal fluid. So here I go back to surgery really scared this time and for the 1st time since the 1st surgery I saw the doctor and he finally looked and his only statement was, You do have a problem. Then he turned and walked away. He did get the problem fixed but I still have severe pain at the base of my skull to the point it effects everything I do it feels like my head is to heavy for my neck to hold up. Its worst 0n the left side but I've had 2 more neck surgeries to fix the disc and all but I only hurt at the base 0f my skull down the sight of that one surgery. Could something else be wrong or is this pain normal and something I've got to live with for the rest of my life because I am no some of the strongest pain meds and they just dull it enough so I just get through the day. I didn't hurt like this before the surgery. But when I told this crazy dr he just said there was nothing else he could do but he would make me a appointment to see a psychiatrist. It was like he did his job got his money and washed his hands of me. So all the other dr ive been to just say its scar tissue. But I'm seeing a new pain management dr who is running all kinds of test to find. Out what is really going on. So wish me luck because I hurt before the surgery but this pain is something im finding harder and harder to live with. It now runs my life if I can even call it a life. But will keep u posted as to out come but in meantime if anyone else has this or had these problems any advice as to what I can or need to do to get some relief please let me know. Good luck with your Chiari Anorwalk. Will be praying for you.

Thank you so much for answering me on Chiari malformation surgery! I am very scared!! I have 2 doctors saying I need it! I have serve nerve damage on my left side and I'm told I have a cyst on in spinal cord and they are hoping by doing the Chiari surgery this will get my spinal fluid to move and fix it??? I'm in so much pain I dnt know what to do!

You have scared me to not have the surgery! First my doctor has not told me how bad my Chiari is,and second I keep telling him how bad my nerve damage is on my left side and he blames it on Chiari! I thinlk it's syringomyelia! And cutting my head open want solve my nerve damage! What so u think o. The matter?

I'm having surgery on Wednesday and my husband is against it! But don i know what ealse to do??? I'm tired of the nerve pain! Did surgery help yr nerve pain?