Hello my name is Kimberly, I am 27 year old mother of 3 little ones (5,4, 20 months). I was recently diagnosed with Chiari Malformation type I, 8mm herniation. I have always suffered from headaches that were accompanied by neck pain. When I was 19 the doctors put me on medication for Tension headaches as they thought this is what the problem was. The medication didn't even touch my headaches so I just quit taking them. 6 years ago I was in a bad car accident and sprained my neck, due to being pregnant at that time they did not do an MRI (i would have been diagnosed then I am sure). Since then I have had increasing symptoms over the years like ringing in ears, loss of words at times, numbing in hands, feet and pain in my left arm and shoulder, and instant headaches when I coughed. I just blew all of these of as having 3 young kids and our car accident. A month ago I woke up with a headache like I have never had before, I couldn't walk, I couldn't move my neck, I was in horrible pain. I went to the ER and that is when they did a catscan and the radiologist wanted an MRI done.
My family doctor printed me off a explaination of this which basically said Chiari I Malformation is no big deal and my doctor informed me that this couldn't have caused my headache and/or neck pain. She referred me to a nuerosurgeon who told me that I would have headaches but all of my other symptoms are not from Chiari. He also informed me that he had never heard of a person having neck aches from this. Doing research on my own I have found that all of my symptoms are common with this problem. What good doctors right?
I am trying to see a specialist here in Colorado to get some answers. Is 8mm herniation bad? I mean the neurologist I seen stated that this was really no big deal, is he right? Am I just loosing my mind and are my symptoms from somethign else.
If anyone here could answer some of my questions I would greatly appreciate it. Again my herniation is 8mm is this no big deal?? Would this cause the symptoms I listed above? Or do you have to have a worse herniation to have problems? Thanks I appreciate any words of encouragement or answers as I feel at a loss until this doctor decides to get ahold of me. I have attached my picture.

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