Chiari Malformation

Chiari Malformation Type 1

Car accidents can cause a Chiari malformation Type 1 to become symptomatic. Once the symptoms begin, they usually continue. Treatments only help manage the symptoms.

What are some symptoms of a Chiari malformation Type 1?

People with Chiari malformation Type I can experience changes in memory, cognition, balance, touch, reflexes, sensation, after motor skills.

Common symptoms: 

• Severe Headaches
• Neck pain
• Balance problems
• Dizziness
• Poor hand coordination (fine motor skills)
• Numbness and tingling of the hands and feet
• Swallowing problems
• Change in vision (blurred or double vision)
• Speech problems

Less common symptoms are:

• Tinnitus
• Weakness

Complications associated with Chiari malformation?

Individuals who have Type 1 information often have these related conditions: (1) Hydrocephalus is an excessive clear fluid (Cerebral Spinal Fluid) in the brain and Spinal curvature is common among individuals with syringomyelia 

How are Chiari malformations diagnosed?

The most common form of Chiari Malformation Type 1 diagnosis is by a physical exam testing a person’s memory, cognition, balance, touch, reflexes, sensation, and motor skills.

Also, diagnostic tests are common in diagnosing Chiari malformation. 

Diagnostic Tests Used to Diagnose Chiari 1:

• An X-ray is a safe and painless procedure that can happen in a doctor’s office and takes only a few minutes.
• Computed tomography (CT scan) uses X-rays and a computer to produce two-dimensional photos. Scanning takes about 3 to 5 minutes and is painless.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the imaging procedure most often used to diagnose a Chiari 1. Like CT, it is painless and noninvasive.

How are Chiari malformations treated?

Common types of Chiari Malformation surgery are:

• Posterior fossa decompression involves making an incision at the back of the head and removing a small portion of the bottom of the skull (and sometimes part of the spinal column) to correct the irregular bony structure. The neurosurgeon may use a procedure called electrocautery to shrink the cerebellar tonsils. 
•  Spinal laminectomy involves the removal of part of the arched, bony roof of the spinal canal (the lamina) to increase the size of the spinal canal and relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots.
• A similar procedure is examining the brain and spinal cord by cutting into the dura. 

Contact us

If you were in of recent auto accident that aggravates an existing Type 1 Chiari Malformation, contact us at 847-651-7191 for a FREE consultation. Do not delay. Cullotta Law Offices' offices are in Glenview and Chicago Illinois.