A neuroma is a small, often painful, growth that appears after a nerve is injured or cut. Treatments include nerve blocks or surgery. An arachnoid cyst is a pocket of spinal fluid that accumulates in the head or spine. It is thought that some are due to a tear of the membranes that contain the fluid after a head injury or other accident, other may be present from birth and slowly accumulate with time. Symptoms include chronic headache, seizures, progressive impairment of brain functions or sudden stroke-like symptoms due to hemorrhage into the cyst.
Many cysts produce no symptoms at all.
Headache may or may not be due to the cyst and individual assessment of the headache features and treatment are essential. Treatment should be strongly considered when symptoms are progressive, the cyst is enlarging on scans, the patient has seizures or there has been bleeding into the cyst. The information posted here by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons or the Congress of Neurological Surgeons or any third party should not be considered medical advice and is not intended to replace consultation with a qualified neurosurgical professional. Please read our disclaimer for more information.