Other symptoms reported in patients with CCI include: Established risk factors for CCI include physical trauma, infection, inflammatory disease, neoplasms and congenital disorders. My passion and specialization are in the evaluation and treatment of cervical disc, facet, ligament and nerve pain, including the non-surgical treatment of Craniocervical instability (CCI). 14 Bono, C M, et al. It is frequently co-morbid with atlanto-axial instability, Chiari malformation[1] and tethered cord syndrome. Every joint in your body has ligaments that constrain its movement. It can, Brain fog is one of the hallmark symptoms of Craniocervical instability. This sliding is referred to as translation and is measured on dynamic imaging in millimeters. Often times this is very helpful in the evaluation of patients with CCI. Craniocervical Instability & Ehlers Danlos Syndrome: Know the Facts. Loss of visual acuity, blurred vision, and changes in peripheral vision can be some of the symptoms in patients with CCI (3). [9][10][11][12][13] Patients sometimes describe the feeling that their head is too heavy for their neck to support (bobble-head). Conservative treatment of craniocervical instability includes physical therapy[10][11] and the use of a cervical collar to keep the neck stable. Visual disturbances can vary from mild to severe involving a number of symptoms. What is Craniocervical Instability or Cranial Cervical Instability? [14] OCF is a surgery that aims at a biomechanical stabilization of the craniocervical junction. The stress placed on the brain stem by both compressing and stretching simultaneously is much greater than the mere sum of these two mechanisms. Neurosurg Rev 42:915-936. When should I worry about it? Craniocervical junction abnormalities are congenital or acquired abnormalities of the occipital bone, foramen magnum, or first two cervical vertebrae that decrease the space for the lower brain stem and cervical cord. At Dr Gilete we are experts in Ehlers Danlos surgery, craniocervical instability EDS,neuro and spine disorders related to EDS and whiplash. [emailprotected] It frequently co-occurs with atlantoaxial instability (AAI). The pain can shoot up into the base of the skull, top of the head, frontal area or behind the eyes. This is an x-ray examination that is recorded in which the patient is put through various movements including bending the neck forward, backward, and to the side. Pt I The Spinal Series, Jennifer Breas Amazing ME/CFS Recovering Story: the Spinal Series Pt. [3] It can be brought on by a trauma, frequently whiplash; laxity of the ligaments surrounding the joint; or other damage to the surrounding connective tissue. Measurement Techniques for Upper Cervical Spine Injuries: Consensus Statement of the Spine Trauma Study Group.Spine., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Mar. In CCI the ligamentous connections of the craniocervical junction can be stretched, weakened or ruptured. The severity of symptoms varies from patient to patient. Clin Med (Lond). Understanding Cervical Spine Instability Measurements. Remember how your heart was rapidly beating after wind sprints or chasing after your dog who jumped the fence? Craniocervical instability is common amongst hypermobile connective disorders such as Ehler Danlos Syndrome (EDS) that affects up to 1% of the population. Adv Otorhinolaryngol. This condition is called tinnitus. Cranial Cervical Instability (CCI) is a medical condition where the strong ligaments that hold your head to your upper neck are loose or lax. A retroflexed odontoid occurs when the odontoid is bent backwards, often compressing the front of the brain stem. Cervical spondylosis is common, and discectomy and fusion may be necessary. Craniocervical Instability is a structural problem of the craniocervical junction. What are the most common Craniocervical Instability Symptoms? Basilar Invagination and Basilar Impression are also often seen with instability. [5] There have also been anecdotal reports of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) who were later diagnosed with CCI (as well as tethered cord syndrome),[6][7][8] although no scientific publication on this subject exists. Facets are the surfaces of the vertebrae that articulate with next vertebra. [63] Neurosurgeons and other EDS specialists have expounded on the connection between CCI and forms of dysautonomia such as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) in a number of conference presentations. Craniocervical instability (CCI) is a pathological condition of increased mobility at the craniocervical junction, the area where the skull meets the spine. A neurologic syndrome following injury of the spinal sympathetic nerves of the neck. Craniocervical Instability (CCI) is a medical condition where the strong ligaments that hold your head to your upper neck are loose or lax. Later that day or the next morning, moving across the room may have seemed almost impossible and took herculean power. AND neurological deficits referable to the craniocervical junction In the age of managed care and 15-minute appointments, the art and practice of physical examination by a physician is almost gone. 3, Sept. 1997,
craniocervical instability