Conservative treatment of a patient with syringomyelia using chiropractic biophysics protocols.
OBJECTIVE
To present a case of a 41-year-old man with syringomyelia and intractable pain and the subsequent reduction of symptoms.


METHODS
This patient acquired a traumatically induced syrinx in his upper cervical spinal cord after he fell approximately 9 feet and landed on his head, upper back, and neck 9 years before presenting for care. He was diagnosed with a spinal cord cyst (syrinx), located at approximately C2 through C4 after magnetic resonance imaging. In 1995, the patient underwent occipitoatlantal decompression surgery, which improved his symptoms for a short time.


RESULTS
The patient was treated using Clinical Biomechanics of Posture protocol. The patient was seen 26 times over the course of 3 weeks. His scale for pain severity decreased 50% and other subjective complaints decreased. His posture improved based upon pretreatment and posttreatment lateral cervical radiographs, showing a change from a 10 degrees lordosis with midcervical kyphosis to a 30 degrees lordosis. One-year follow-up examination showed stable improvement in the cervical lordosis and pain intensity.


CONCLUSIONS
This case represents a change in subjective and objective measurements after conservative chiropractic care. This case provides an example that structural rehabilitation may have a positive effect on symptoms of a patient with syringomyelia.
Haas
Jason W
JW
Chiropractic Biophysics, Non Profit, Inc, Evanston, Wyo, USA.
Harrison
Deed E
DE
Harrison
Donald D
DD
Bymers
Brian
B
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008141:Lordosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D026882:Manipulation, Chiropractic; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011187:Posture; D011859:Radiography; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications