New to a syringomyelia diagnosis and still looking for answers? Here is what is happening inside the cord. Syringomyelia is a fluid dynamics problem in the spinal cord. Cerebrospinal fluid CSF cushions brain and cord with each heartbeat. When outflow is blocked, pressure gradients drive fluid into cord tissue, through perivascular channels. The result is a syrinx that distorts sensory and motor pathways. Early changes often involve the crossing pain and heat fibers. Pain and heat can vanish whil