pattismith
Senior Member
- Messages
- 3,946
Brainstem compression seems to be a potent trigger for ME/CFS.
It can be a consequence of several pathologic processes:
-Cranio-cervical instability
-Chiari
-Retroflexed Odontoid
-thickening of the transverse ligament (even pseudo-tumoral lesions)
-various tumors in the brainstem area, or bone proliferation.
On the other hand, symptoms of brainstem compression seem to be hard to access when the compression is not severe and does not involve a strong spinal cord compression.
From the neurosurgeons specialized in Elher Danlos and cranio-cervical instability practice, we can see that they don't do specific testing for the brainstem compression diagnosis, I mean no other testing than removing the instability (by traction) to see if the symptoms resolve.
If we compare practices for other type of brainstem compression, we may learn other test that could bring some interest.
The first test that came during my researches is the Brainstem auditory evoked potential used in Chiari, and the Auditory brainstem response,
@jeff_w and @JenB did you have any brainstem function testing like these before your surgery?
It can be a consequence of several pathologic processes:
-Cranio-cervical instability
-Chiari
-Retroflexed Odontoid
-thickening of the transverse ligament (even pseudo-tumoral lesions)
-various tumors in the brainstem area, or bone proliferation.
On the other hand, symptoms of brainstem compression seem to be hard to access when the compression is not severe and does not involve a strong spinal cord compression.
From the neurosurgeons specialized in Elher Danlos and cranio-cervical instability practice, we can see that they don't do specific testing for the brainstem compression diagnosis, I mean no other testing than removing the instability (by traction) to see if the symptoms resolve.
If we compare practices for other type of brainstem compression, we may learn other test that could bring some interest.
The first test that came during my researches is the Brainstem auditory evoked potential used in Chiari, and the Auditory brainstem response,
@jeff_w and @JenB did you have any brainstem function testing like these before your surgery?
Last edited: