Woman,24, felt drunk for two years because her brain was SLIPPING into her spine

Jodie Baitson-Horrocks was plagued by constant headaches and dizziness for years, but her GP thought it was migraines and prescribed medication to clear them up.

The 24-year-old's symptoms continued to get worse until she was eventually sent for specialist scans and diagnosed with Chiari malformation one, a condition that causes the lowest part of the back of the brain to slip into the spinal cord.

Jodie, from Bransholme in Hull, has finally undergone surgery to correct her condition.

Surgeons at Hull Royal Infirmary removed part of Jodie's skull to relieve the pressure on her brain.

If her condition had been left untreated Jodie could have suffered serious complications, like paralysis, as her spine continued to put pressure on her brain.

Jodie was born with the condition, but it wasn't until she got older than her symptoms started to show.

Her condition went diagnosed until, in her early 20s, she began experiencing constant headaches and a feeling of being drunk even though she was sober.

Jodie's mum Paula Horrocks told the Hull Daily Mail: "Jodie was born with the condition but it hasn't been picked up until now.

"For the past two years she has had constant headaches and felt dizzy like she is drunk.

"If she hadn't have had the operation she could have been left paralysed.

"It has been so hard for her and a very stressful time for us all, but she is a fighter and we are so proud of the way she has handled everything."

Jodie now needs round-the-clock care and is using crutches and a wheelchair to get about while she recovers.

RARE CONDITION WHERE THE BRAIN PUSHES DOWN INTO THE SPINE

A CHIARI malformation is where the lower part of the brain pushes down into the spinal canal.

There are four main types, but type 1 is the most common.

It can put pressure on the brainstem, spinal cord and obstruct the flow of fluid.

Chiari I malformations aren't life-threatening, and can cause painful headaches.

Other symptoms include:

  • headaches, usually at the back of the head
  • neck pain
  • dizziness and balance problems
  • muscle weakness
  • numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
  • blurred vision
  • trouble swallowing
  • hearing loss and tinnitus
  • feeling and being sick
  • difficulty sleeping

Treatment depends on how severe a person's symptoms are.

Surgery involves a small cut at the back of the head, allowing the surgeon to remove a small piece of skull.

This helps reduce pressure on the brain and allows the fluid to flow normally around your brain and spinal cord.

A Chiari malformation is where the lower part of the brain pushes down into the spinal canal.

There are four main types, but type 1 is the most common.

It can put pressure on the brainstem, spinal cord and obstruct the flow of fluid.

Chiari I malformations aren't life-threatening, and can cause painful headaches.



 

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