Welcome to the forum!

My best advice is this - ask for contrast with your MRI, so if you do have SM, it will better show up. Mine would not have without contrast.

Can't advise on surgery. My docs can't even spell syringomyelia. They can't even say it. LOL.

Don't know where you are, I'm near Toledo OH.

I was dx in '04. My syrinx is (was) T5-T8 about 3mm wide. My sx were hard to peg because I have other health issues, but one for sure was I could not tell hot/cold in my hands. I also suspect the hand/arm tingling and numbness after lifting (as in lifting 15-20 lbs, bringing in groceries) is due to this.

All I really do about sm is try not to provoke it - no serious physical stuff. Last I read, they did not operate on syrinx under 6 mm wide and surgery was getting less popular at any rate. I admit I don't keep up on this stuff though.