HomeAnswersInternal Medicinecongenital abnormalitiesI am having occipital bone deficiency and associated difficulties. Please provide me with solutions.

How can congenital malformation of the occipital bone be effectively managed?

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Published At August 12, 2023
Reviewed AtAugust 12, 2023

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I am female with a height of 5 feet 3 inches and a weight of 120 pounds, and not on any medication. I have been trying to find answers for over a year now about not having the left side of my occipital bone. Something happened during the pregnancy, and when I was born, my doctor wanted me to have reconstructive surgery on it. However, he also implied it was just for beauty, and that I would be able to live a normal life. But here I am today, suffering from multiple things including headaches, migraines, neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, balance and coordination issues, vision dysfunction, high blood pressure, hallucination, lowered immune functioning, ADD (attention deficit disorder), nervous system problems, lack of strength, uncontrollable shaking and twitching, inability to sleep for more than three hours, feeling light-headed most of the time. Additionally, I cannot go out in public for long, or else I collapse and experience vision blackouts. The area where I am missing my occipital bone is where the pain is usually located, but it has now spread throughout my whole head.

I have read about the importance of bone in relation to the body's overall physical function and a person's ability to see and interact with the world, which I am struggling with. I just need answers. Doctors here look at me like I am crazy. I tell them I have worsened, but they do not do anything except over-drug me and send me home. Something needs to be done about this. I could have a bleed, spinal problems, or even bone tumors developing on my spine or neck. To help you understand, I have searched doctors' pages and researched for six hours. These are the issues that I can relate to, and I also have all the symptoms associated with them. I will list them below: platybasia, sleep apnea, chordoma, basilar invagination, atlas assimilation, Chiari malformation, vertigo, Lhermitte sign, craniocervical junction, and syringomyelia. I have only taken Aspirin for headaches, but I have not taken it in months. I underwent blood tests also.

Kindly help.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq, and thank you for choosing us as your provider for health care.

Have gone through all your details and appreciate your concern. I do not know the patient's given details or the family's given detailed history. It appears to be a birth anomaly. If the occipital bone is absent on one side, it certainly affects the protection of the brain and the maintenance of spinal fluid pressure. I believe consulting a neurosurgeon could provide the possibility of undergoing reconstructive surgery. However, a thorough assessment of the surgical options and satisfactory evaluation with no contraindications is necessary.

Hope I have clarified your query. I will be happy to help you further.

Thank you.

The Probable causes

The Probable causes are chromosomal and hereditary disorders.

Investigations to be done

The following investigations need to be conducted: chromosomal test, CT (computed tomography) scan, basic hemoglobin, renal function tests, hepatic function tests, HIV ((human immunodeficiency virus) test, and blood glucose test.

Differential diagnosis

The differential diagnosis includes post-traumatic and malformation post-surgery.

Probable diagnosis

The probable diagnosis is a congenital malformation of the skull bone.

Treatment plan

The treatment plan consists of symptomatic management as well as potential interventions involving neurosurgery and plastic surgery.

Preventive measures

Preventive measures include taking precautions to prevent falls on the head and promptly treating infections that are related to the brain, such as viral pharyngitis, otitis, and rhinitis.

Regarding follow up

Regular check-ups with a physician every three months.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Madhumati Varma
Dr. Madhumati Varma

Diabetology

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