Cervical medullary syndrome

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Bobby Jones Chiari & Syringomyelia Foundation


Cervical Medullary Syndrome (also called cervicomedullary syndrome) is a proposed syndrome caused by brainstem compression, deformation, infection or inflammation. It results in symptoms including dysautonomia, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, pain, numbness, apnea, altered vision, hearing, speech, swallowing and balance, vertigo, dizziness, altered sleep architecture, weakness, numbness and sensory loss.[1]

Symptoms[edit | edit source]

  • headache
  • dysautonomia, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
  • pain, numbness, weakness and sensory loss
  • apnea
  • altered vision (blurring, floaters, spots, scintillation, auras are unusual)
  • problems with hearing, tinnitus, “As a group, [patients] appear to have a higher incidence of sinusitis/otitis and miringotomy tube placement in childhood." [2]
  • problems with balance, vertigo, dizziness; longstanding clumsiness; disorientation in vehicles or with movement, e.g., escalators or walking down store aisles
  • altered sleep architecture
  • problems with swallowing, speech

Causes[edit | edit source]

Diagnoses that can cause Cervical Medullary Syndrome include:

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Henderson, Fraser C. (2016). "Cranio-cervical Instability in Patients with Hypermobility Connective Disorders". Journal of Spine. 05 (02). doi:10.4172/2165-7939.1000299. ISSN 2165-7939.
  2. CSF presents Clinical Patterns Seen with Cervical Medullary Syndrome, retrieved September 1, 2019
  3. Henderson, Fraser C.; Austin, Claudiu; Benzel, Edward; Bolognese, Paolo; Ellenbogen, Richard; Francomano, Clair A.; Ireton, Candace; Klinge, Petra; Koby, Myles (March 2017). "Neurological and spinal manifestations of the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes". American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part C, Seminars in Medical Genetics. 175 (1): 195–211. doi:10.1002/ajmg.c.31549. ISSN 1552-4876. PMID 28220607.