I had surgery in 2013. It helped a little. But recently the headaches are getting worse. I don’t have insurance and don’t know what to do. Nothing I have tried helps to relieve the pain. I need help any suggestions.
There are lots of reasons for headaches - not just Chiari - with lots of solutions to match.
Trigger points in head/neck
motor control exercises
cervical placement proprioception
graded-motor imagery
resolving any cervical joint restrictions especially in upper cervical
tactility issues/scar management
Treatment depends on assessment findings. I have moved through all of these exercises since surgery. I have not always found the treatment that I needed at the time. To date occipital pain is negligible.
Good luck in finding the people and resources that can help you resolve your issues.
Sorry, not familiar with the American insurance dilemma. Perhaps others can address the access of services problem.
Trigger points and graded motor imagery you can access yourself through books.
Just putting it out there that medications are not terribly effective in chronic pain.
What type of headaches are they? Is it pounding and whooshing with pressure in the head? I.e. is it a sort of high pressure feeling in the head?
Also, what sort of mobility do you have with your neck?
I ask the second question as I have a growing suspicion that the root trigger of my migraines is a bad neck. I broke two vertebrae a few years ago and due to back pain moved my back less and less ending up with an almost rigid neck. By getting flexibility into my neck I did get rid of a pattern of headaches at the time, although at best I’d say I’ve let things lapse, so fixing that by returning to the physio.
I wonder if the surgery leaves enough scar and pain that like my bad back discourages you from moving your neck over time resulting in a worse neck?