Yeomhwang Kim. Neuro- Cranio-Vertebral Syndrome. Filum Disease. Impacted cerebellar tonsils. Intramedullary cyst. Deviation of the spine. Left hand side disc herniation L5-S1. Disc protrusion C5-C6.

Hi everyone, I’m writing to update my testimonial.

It’s been already 5 years since my surgery in October 2016.

In general, the symptoms I suffered from before the intervention – dizziness, pain in my arms and legs – almost disappeared, except when I’m tired or sick.

Very occasionally I feel pain in my coccyx or in the lower part of my buttocks, but it usually disappears in a few days.

My muscle pain reduced and I feel a certain improvement in my hand grip strength.

In addition, before surgery, I couldn’t practice many exercises as I was limited by abdominal pressure, while now I can train with no worries, as far as possible.

In general, I can say I recovered my health in every aspect.

When looking back at the time of my suffering, from the moment I was diagnosed to surgery, I realize how beautiful life with no pain is.

I am and always will be grateful to the entire team at Institut Chiari de Barcelona.

Email: [email protected] 

Surgery date: October 2016

Hi!

My name is Yeomhwang Kim and I live in South Korea.

In June 2015 I started having symptoms for the first time, but it took the doctors a long time to know what the cause was. After three magnetic resonance scans, they still had not matched a diagnosis until I was diagnosed with syringomyelia at an university hospital. After examining the dimensions of the syringomyelic cavities they told me that with their current size, I should not have many symptoms and that I was worrying too much. I suspected that something else could be going on so I decided to do more tests, but they did not find anything. I was dizzy and had intense pins and needles in arms and legs.

I got to know the Institut Chiari de Barcelona through an Internet Forum and I found their articles and research very interesting and promising. In Korea, despite having been diagnosed with Syringomyelia, they only told me to come back after a year for an imaging check up. After a year, my situation had improved a little compared to the symptoms I was experiencing when I was first diagnosed with syringomyelia. Even so, and because I could not just sit back and do nothing, I decided to schedule an appointment at the Institut Chiari de Barcelona.

The experience at the Institut was very positive. The physician examined me and very kindly explained to me what was observed on the MRI scans. During the consultation, I was given hope when they told me that the disease would be halted. Even though the symptoms were not very severe, I decided to undergo the surgery in order to try and stop its progression. The post-operative changes were surprising: the dizziness got less and felt as if I returned to the past; before the disease had been detected. I only had a minimal pain in the tailbone, where the procedure had been performed. Three days after the surgery, I was able to do sightseeing and enjoy a fantastic time in Spain in much better physical shape.

The symptoms came back three months after the surgery, but two weeks later, my physical condition started to improve again. At the Institut, they had already told me that I could experience ups and downs with the symptoms. What surprised me was seeing that other symptoms, of which I had never thought they could be caused by the syringomyelia, improved. For example: previously it was rather difficult for me to maintain an upright position, but since the procedure, I find it much easier to maintain that posture. And also a pain inside my ears, for which I regularly saw an ENT doctor, disappeared. I feel an apparent improvement in my grip strength. Aside from all these, I also had improvements in symptoms like: the tremor in the nape or the hot sensation on wrists and ankles.

Lately, I go for a run in the mornings and deadlift for a damaged disc that I have. I live very well and enjoy a good physical condition. The way I was feeling before the surgery, it would be difficult to do aerobic exercise because of sore muscles, but now in turn I feel comfortable with it.

Before the surgery and during the first post-operative year, the best way I had to relieve the dizziness and lack of strength in my hands and feet was to sleep. Now on the other hand, I can follow a more active rhythm of life. My state is so well that I wish that I would always be like this. Sometimes I can feel the symptoms come and go; nevertheless, the degree to which they affect me is much less and milder in comparison to the past, they no longer interfere with my every day life. Also, I think that the symptoms will continue to improve with time, given that only seven months have passed since the surgery and that I have already experienced a lot improvement.

I am very thankful to Dr. Miguel B. Royo-Salvador, the founder of the Institut; I also want to thank Dr. Horia Calin Salca for his kindness, Dr Marco Fiallos-Rivera for seeing me in my last check up before going back to Korea and last, Ms Saetbyeol Kim, who has been helping me from the first moment I contacted until today with my consultations. I am also very thankful to the Institut’s team for making an effort in treating this rare, difficult to heal, disease.

I hope that we will see each other again and that I will be able to enjoy the Spanish landscapes in better conditions.

The patient left a short message in Spanish: “Ellos me dieron una nueva vida. Gracias! Adiós!” (They gave me a new life. Thanks! Bye!)