Just curious if all members (who have CM) have had decompression surgery? If not, why not?
Is there really a viable, successful alternative to no surgery?
It really becomes a case by case basis. In my case, surgery was necessary because I have spinal stenosis (my cervical spinal canal half the size of what it should be) I had to have surgery to ensure the flow of CSF and avoid paralysis. It really depends.
Hi Sue,
CM Decompression Surgery is used as a treatment, to stop the progression of your Cerebellum falling into your spinal column and opens up the spinal passage insuring CSF can get to your brain. I had to have decompression surgery or I would become a quadripledgic. My dx came too late and my brain was only getting 2% of CSF & the verterbrae were literally getting pushed out of my spinal colum. When they did my Decompression & Duraplasty I also had Laminectomies on C1-C6. I have not as a Medical Researcher ever read a viable alternative to CM treatment other than Decompression Surgery. Again this surgery is only a treatment to halt the progression of the herniation. It is not a cure all. After you are done you are not 100% better. Many people still have the same symptoms they had pre surgical. Some have much worse symptoms post surgical. If there was an alternative to surgery it would be all over this discussion group like lightening. One member questioned manual medical manipulation, but the dynamics of that treatment along with a CM would leave the patient paralysed. I have seen and talked to multiple NL and NS and they all say to stay away from Chiropractors. I hope this helps someway. I didn't have a choice on if I should have surgery or not. Please don't wait until that option is taken away from you.
Good Luck,
Tracy Z.
Surgery is really only necessary of your symptoms interfere with your life frequently, whereas if a person is diagnosed with a very minor CM, and is not having prevalent symptoms, observation is best for a while instead of decompression because in some cases, surgery on really small cases can cause backfire results.
Surgery really helped me get my life back. Don’t fear it!
do what is best for you and your health 
Ah, ok.
I see the surgeon on the 19th. I've got a billion questions.
I'm quite miserable physically, too and I just can't believe it's all related to this recent diagnosis. It seems so - "out there".
Tracy Z I WISH I KNEW ABT STAYING AWAY FROM THE CHIROPRACTOR MONTHS AGO B4 MY DIAGNOSIS. MY ONSET WAS DUE TO AN ON THE JOB INJURY WHERE THE DOCS ON THE JOB MARKED IT AS A NECK SPRAIN...NO MRIS OR XRAYS WERE DUN UNTIL A MONTH LATER AFTER THERAPY AND NO IMPROVEMENT IN MY CONDITION..RITE AROUND XMAS TIME I FOUND OUT I HAD CM1 TYPE I AND ALOT OF THINGZ MADE SENCE..THE PAINS THRUPOUT MY SHOULDERS AND LEFT HAND..DIFFICULTY IN DRIVIN SPECIFICALLY LOOKIN OVER MY SHOUDLERS TO CHANGE LANES..THE DIFFICULTY IN LIFTIN AND PUSHIN HEAVY OBJECTS WHICH THAT ISNT A NORM FOR ME BEIN I WAS A BAGGAGE HANDLER AT THE AIRPORT..SUMTIMES GETTIN UP WAS A TASK..AND RECENTLY I WAS IN THE ER WITH RIGHT FACIAL PAINS. I CUDNT EVN OPN MY EYES IT WAS MISERABLE THEN FOR 3-4 DAYS LATER I WAS WIT OCIPITAL HEADACHES WHICH I WAS GETTN BUT NEVER FOR SO LONG..I HAD A FLUXUATIN FEVER..BODY ACHE...IT WAS LIKE THE FLU BUT I DDNT HAVE THE FLU...I WAS THANKFUL WEN TIWAS OVER BUT I DDNT KNO IF IT WAS CM OR WAT AND I MUST OF SEEN LIKE 3 DOCS WITHIN THAT TIME AND NO1 KNEW WAT WAS RONG...SMG...SO AS A MOTHER AND ONE WHO VALUES HER LIVELYHOOD IM CONCIDERIN THE SURGERY..IM JUS VERY APPREHENSIVE ABT IT BEIN THE LOCATION OF WHERE IT GTA GET DUN ADN THE BEIN UNDER THE KNIFER ISSUE..I DONT WNT TO SEE WAT ELSE CAN HAPPEN IF IT CONTINUES TO PROGRESS...OH AND I HAVE A SYRINX IN MY SPINE AS WELL...SMH..I WILL HAVE MOMENTS OF MY WHOLE SPINE HURTIN ME...AND MY SON GOD BLESS HIS HEART HE WUD GIVE ME A KISS AND ASK ME IF ITS ALL BETTER...HES MY ROCK AND THE REASON IM EVN CONSIDERIN THE SURGERY..HE HAS THINGS HE HAVE TO GO THRU AND ITS NOT FAIR HE DONT HAVE A MOMMY THATS 100%..