What is Syringomyelia (SM)?

In some people, spinal fluid can build up inside the spinal cord. This can be due to the blockage from a Chiari malformation, spinal trauma, a tumor, or other causes. As the amount of spinal fluid increases, it creates a cavity in the spinal cord called a syrinx. This results in stretching and eventually injury to nerve fibers. The condition is called syringomyelia and can cause numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in the arms, legs, and body.

Syringomyelia One Page Fact Sheet (pdf)

National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)/National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Syringomyelia Information Page