I have been having sharp pains in my back between my shoulder blades and the pain shoots down my arm at the same time and my arm feels num too. Does anybody else have this issue? And does this sound like a chiari symptom?
Good day
I had thoracic and hand/arm pain and numbness for over twenty years. I saw a lot of different people for it and found no relief. Exercises, manual therapies, wonky injections, needling, cupping, chiropractors, and medications did not help. I found that using heat packs on my spine and hand at night could distract my brain long enough to fall asleep. Now, I have finally found something that is helping for both. Please not that I did find that yoga helped if I did it three times a week but my chiari worsened in symptoms and I started to get nystagmus and balance problems after yoga so I stopped.
My understanding of what is happening is that chiari has been associated with a degree of trauma (falls, car accidents, blows...) which aggravates and restricts the nerves and their coverings in the spinal column and extending into the extremities. They are all connected. When nerves do not heal well nor move well or are restricted by faulty movement patterns, neuropathic pain can start up. Nerves do not like irritation and will let it be known. All that shooting pain, numbness, heaviness, achiness that does not make sense would fall under that umbrella. I highly doubt that you would ever find a doctor that would say "yes this pain is a chiari symptom" but I do think that I read it in a list of chiari symptoms back when I was looking up what chiari was.
Also, keep in mind that surgery is unlikely to fix it.
I know you have been waiting patiently for what I have found. Sorry, but it is no drug or quick fix. I have been doing neuro-dynamic exercises (also called neuro glides and other names) starting at my extremities - fingers and ankles- and gradually moving up my limbs. I have been well pleased with my progress. I no longer use a heat pack to get to sleep nor my special pillows nor my special chair. I sleep the whole night through and if I do not, it is not because of my back or arms - unless I am too impatient and aggressive with my exercises and then my nerves sing out in complaint.
Where does one find out about this you ask? A physical therapist trained in neurodynamic exercises, usually through David Butler courses. "The Sensitive Nervous System" is the text that goes along with. Of course, not many physical therapist have worked with chiari folk but the gentleness and slowness can be similar to your more severe whiplash clients.
Well, good luck in finding some relief and know that help is out there.
I have the sharp intermittent pains but find that i also have a pain that goes from head down to shoulder blades and down backs of arms to elbows,wrists and hands. The worse my headache gets the farther towards hands the pain goes but it feels more like a broken bone pain than sharp.... not sure if its the chiari or the neck issues, am thinking probably a combo of chiari, disc degeneration and arthritis.