thinks like sharp, pounding headaches, neck and shoulder muscle tension, all to the point of immobility and tears

High pressure headaches. I would get lumbar punctures every other month. My opening pressure would be in the 30s when a "normal person's" should be in the 10s. They were the only thing that helped until I had surgery to correct the Chirari.

With chiari you usually have the tight neck and shoulders, pressure at the base of the skull headaches and sometimes vision disturbances