Hydromyelia

[becca1974]

Was diagnosed yesterday with hydromyelia..ive never heard of it before..and wasnt told of anything that could be done and just released,my left leg from my calf to my foot has been numb for over a month now..the dr i saw released me nothing done,nothing more said back to full duty at my job where i do alot of lifting,should i be concerned?

[desouza56]

Hydromyelia refers to an abnormal widening of the central canal of the spinal cord that creates a cavity in which cerebrospinal fluid (commonly known as spinal fluid) can accumulate.  As spinal fluid builds up, it may put abnormal pressure on the spinal cord and damage nerve cells and their connections.  Hydromyelia is sometimes used interchangeably with syringomyelia, the name for a condition that also involves cavitation in the spinal cord.  In hydromyelia, the cavity that forms is connected to the fourth ventricle in the brain, and is almost always associated in infants and children with hydrocephalus or birth defects such as Chiari Malformation II and Dandy-Walker syndrome.  Syringomyelia, however, features a closed cavity and occurs primarily in adults, the majority of whom have Chiari Malformation type 1 or have experienced spinal cord trauma.   Symptoms, which may occur over time, include weakness of the hands and arms, stiffness in the legs; and sensory loss in the neck and arms. Some individuals have severe pain in the neck and arms. Diagnosis is made by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which reveals abnormalities in the anatomy of the spinal cord..

[becca1974]

Thank u so much

[lisaob1]

hi becca..i must admitt,i had not heard of hydromyelia,it sounded familiar by name so i looked it up and my daughter has syringomyelia...it was only when i looked it up i then noticed the similarities...,all i can say is try not to worry hun..i see you have just been diagnosed.and i know its easier said than done as i remember when my daughter was diagnosed..i was at my wits end but my daughter was diagnosed approx 7 yrs ago now..and she is doing just fine..obviously it is a concern..but its a concern that can be monitored and cared for and with the right help will be treated..i wish you all the best and i will look up more about hydromyelia...if you need to talk il be here to listen ...good luck hun xx

[selmaS]

Hi I saw u also posted in the Chiari forum, and u will find info on this condition as well as support there...

  : )

[lynmary]

hi my name is julia- i live in maine. i have hydromyelia. i was born with it an as you get older the symptoms progress. im 36 now. i can not be operated on due to it being directly on my spine. i suffer from a huge variety of symptoms and extreme pain daily. ive worked my whole life-due to this illness i have lost my job. i have no insurance an can not find help for this-its been really difficult an life has not been fun, i take day by day. i have not been able to find the medical help i need due to no insurance as well as i have not found a doctor that has any knowledge on this illness. i need help!! any suggestions? im at my wits end. i also have a twin sister that suffers from syringomyelia- i dont want her to end up like me. help!