Chiari affects 1 in 1,000 people. You are born with the disease, although most patients dont discover they have it until its too late or they are in their 30's. I was diagnosed at 28 and had symptoms since I was 9. Only a MRI scan can positively identify chiari. Only 200,000 have been diagnosed here in the states. Like I mentioned before there is no cure. Most physicians dont even know what chiari is let alone the symptoms. My passion right now is to put it on the fore front so I can advise the general public and medical community what chiari is and raise money for a cure.
Chiari malformations are located at the base of the skull. part of the brain, the cerebellum, descends out of the skull and into the spinal area. This results in the brain and spinal cord being compressed. and it interupts the CSF flow. If untreated it can be fatal.
I have included the picture below that gives a visual of the difference between a person with and without chiari looks like.
Hope you understand a lil better, if not let me know. K.
