Herbal Syringomyelia Treatment: Is It Possible?

The answer to treating syringomyelia with herbs is no, as there are currently no alternative treatments for syringomyelia, and surgery is the best treatment option.

And this will remain the case until new causes and treatment protocols are studied and developed. Researchers are studying birth defects that may cause syringomyelia, in addition to conducting clinical tests that may reveal new forms of surgery, which may help patients who have developed syringomyelia due to a brain defect. Thus, treatment of syringomyelia with herbs is not possible until the present time.

Other treatments 

After we learned about the possibility of treating syringomyelia with herbs, it remains to learn about other available treatments, which include the following procedures, but it must be known first that syringomyelia surgery may not be the ideal solution to the problem, as fluid can accumulate again, which requires Regular follow-up with the doctor, including an MRI, to check whether the cyst has returned:

1. Medicines

Although there is no pharmacological treatment for syringomyelia, pain medications and muscle relaxants can be used to treat symptoms associated with the disease.

2. Monitoring

A patient suffering from syringomyelia should be monitored in the absence of any symptoms, in order to avoid worsening of symptoms over time, and the doctor may recommend not treating the condition if symptoms do not develop or if the patient is old.

In addition, strenuous activities such as jumping and heavy lifting should be avoided so that symptoms do not appear or get worse.

3. Surgery

Doctors recommend surgery for progressive . The type of surgery depends on your symptoms. These procedures include:

• Chiari malformation surgery

This surgery aims to create more space in the upper neck and base of the skull, which in turn restores the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid, and relieves pressure on the spinal cord and brain. This procedure may also help drain the syrinx and reduce its size, thus relieving symptoms.

This operation is one of the necessary procedures whose delay may cause damage to the spinal cord. However.

• Removal of scar tissue around the spinal cord

This surgery aims to prevent syrinx dilation or its formation after trauma-related. The scar tissue around the spinal cord is removed and the membrane surrounding the spinal cord (dura) is sometimes expanded by adding a graft. This helps restore the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid. By expanding the space around the spinal cord.

• Removing the obstruction

This surgical procedure removes the obstructions that cause the blockage, such as: tumors, scar tissue, and bone from the spinal canal, thus restoring the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid, but if the tumor is the cause of the blockage, its removal may cause the elimination of the cavitation tube, Therefore, radiation therapy is used to shrink the tumor.

• Draining the syrinx

In the absence of a malformation or chiari tumor, the syrinx must be drained, and this is done in cases where the syrinx grows and in cases where the cause of the cerebrospinal fluid obstruction cannot be determined, where a stent containing a small tube is inserted to drain the fluid to another part of the body such as the chest or The abdomen, which helps stop the development of symptoms and relieve headaches .

However, this surgery is a serious procedure that can lead to spinal cord injury, bleeding or infection, and therefore does not help all patients.

Lifestyle and home remedies for syringomyelia

cannot be treated with herbs, the following tips may help improve the life of a syringomyelia patient:

• Avoid activities and practices that make symptoms worse, such as putting too much pressure on the spine or lifting heavy loads.
• Try physical therapy, if syringomyelia affects daily activity and movement, such as: stiffness, pain, fatigue, and muscle weakness to relieve these symptoms as much as possible.
• Consult a doctor if syringomyelia causes chronic pain.

source : wikipedia