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chairi one
does degenitive disk have anything to do with chairi one
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.
As the above poster mentioned this is an older thread so you did not cut into a current convo.....and it may be helpful to start a new tread where more members are likely to participate....
Chiari is either congenital (since birth) and we may not be aware we have it since we have always had the symtpoms, it is not until later in life that while our bodies change, those changes can trigger symptoms to flare or it could be a MVA, a fall or being sick with the flu or just being stressed out more then typically for us that causes it to flare....but acquire Chiari is usually via an accident and is not a true Chiari....as Chiari is a malformation of the skull which leads to the hernitaion of the cerebral tonsils....one can have a blunt force trauma that forces the tonsils down but the skull is not smaller so there is room for the tonsils to retract and sometimes that does happen....but you can not acquire congenital Chiari later in life...it has just gone unnoticed or you assumed the symptoms were from something else or just you.....
I have lived a full life too up until my Chiari flared BUT I always knew something was off....I always had HA's and had leg cramps...I was told were "growing pains" I "passed out" a few times but never had a clue to why....many times since we do have this since birth we learn to accommodate how we do things or ignore how we feel since everyone else is able to do it we can do...and we suck it up....
Thyroid issues are common with many with Chiari and it tends to be an auto immune thyroid condition called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis....
We are also prone to connective tissue disorders which can cause disk issues and joint pain and a few other symptoms that are similar to Chiari symptoms.
So it is possible to be able to deal with how we feel and do many things....that does not mean it was not always there.
Hi Izzydog. I would start your own thread with all of your comments so you will get more comments specifically to your question.
To answer your question Chiari can be acquired later in life but it is actually pretty rare to get it that way. It is typically from a significant injury.
Most of us, and probably you since you did not mention a serious injury, are born with it. However, it can lay dormant your entire life - as in, symptoms do not present, or do not present significantly enough to cause you any issues.
It is unsure of what actually causes an adult's Chiari symptoms to begin. It could be slight whiplash, a bang to the back of the head, etc. Some people just don't realize some of the annoying symptoms they have had over the years have actually been Chiari symptoms all this time, and are just at an age where its really starting to effect them.
I also have spinal stenosis and DDD. I have a herniated disk at c5-c6 that will be fused some time this year. My herniation is barely 5mm, considered to small to cause symptoms by most doctors, neurologists, and neurosurgeons who do not specialize in Chair. I saw a neurosurgeon who specialized in Chiari and I am actually recommended for decompression surgery with a fusion of my c1 to my skull. Then, my c5-c6 will be fused.
Since you are in a similar condition, please do some research on Elhers-anlos Syndrom. Possibly look at the beighton criteria. Its a connective tissue disorder that causes a lot of our spinal issues.
I was also a really healthy and active person. In the last 2.5 years I have slowed down to nearly a couch potato - and I hate it!
Thyroid issues are often seen along with Chiari as well.
Look up Chiari in google (or similar). Also, check out csfinfo.org
To answer your question Chiari can be acquired later in life but it is actually pretty rare to get it that way. It is typically from a significant injury.
Most of us, and probably you since you did not mention a serious injury, are born with it. However, it can lay dormant your entire life - as in, symptoms do not present, or do not present significantly enough to cause you any issues.
It is unsure of what actually causes an adult's Chiari symptoms to begin. It could be slight whiplash, a bang to the back of the head, etc. Some people just don't realize some of the annoying symptoms they have had over the years have actually been Chiari symptoms all this time, and are just at an age where its really starting to effect them.
I also have spinal stenosis and DDD. I have a herniated disk at c5-c6 that will be fused some time this year. My herniation is barely 5mm, considered to small to cause symptoms by most doctors, neurologists, and neurosurgeons who do not specialize in Chair. I saw a neurosurgeon who specialized in Chiari and I am actually recommended for decompression surgery with a fusion of my c1 to my skull. Then, my c5-c6 will be fused.
Since you are in a similar condition, please do some research on Elhers-anlos Syndrom. Possibly look at the beighton criteria. Its a connective tissue disorder that causes a lot of our spinal issues.
I was also a really healthy and active person. In the last 2.5 years I have slowed down to nearly a couch potato - and I hate it!
Thyroid issues are often seen along with Chiari as well.
Look up Chiari in google (or similar). Also, check out csfinfo.org
I just joined this site and just realized what it actually is, so I apologize Selma for commenting in your conversation with someone else. My first question is can a person develop this later in life some way? If so, how? Im just having a very, very hard time believing I had it as a child and lived to tell my adventures. I was super athletic and dont remember any problems at all except leg cramps after I had sweat a lot. I played football with the boys, even in college on Sunday afternoons for fun. Was a top notch 3rd bace, pitcher and short stop in softball league for about 11 years. Have hunted and fished my whole life. On my own part of the time. Im not telling all this to brag, just so you can see how coordinated I have been my entire life. I became an elementary physical education teacher and did that for 29 years. With no signs that I can remember. Now the last 2 years maybe a little more are different. IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET CHIARI later in life? If so, what causes it?
I have also been fighting thyroid issues for the last year and that is actually how my Chiari was found. They were doing a last MRI on my pituitary gland just 5o check it.
Wow! I have just been diagnosed with Chiari. But I have had 3 previous surgeries for spinal stenosis and bulging disks.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Chiari 2 is generally associated with spina bifida.
Type Presentation
I- Is generally asymptomatic during childhood, but often manifests with headaches and cerebellar symptoms. Herniation of cerebellar tonsils.[9][10] The most common form.
II- Usually accompanied by a myelomeningocele[11] leading to partial or complete paralysis below the spinal defect. Abnormal development of the cerebellar vermis and medulla oblongata occur, and they both descend into the foramen magnum. Hydrocephalus is frequently present.
III -Causes severe neurological defects. It is associated with an encephalocele.[12]
IV- Characterized by a lack of cerebellar development.[13
Since everyone is diff, we all will have diff symptoms.....so u will have to let us know what symptoms u have and which u r having the most difficulty with.
"selma"
Type Presentation
I- Is generally asymptomatic during childhood, but often manifests with headaches and cerebellar symptoms. Herniation of cerebellar tonsils.[9][10] The most common form.
II- Usually accompanied by a myelomeningocele[11] leading to partial or complete paralysis below the spinal defect. Abnormal development of the cerebellar vermis and medulla oblongata occur, and they both descend into the foramen magnum. Hydrocephalus is frequently present.
III -Causes severe neurological defects. It is associated with an encephalocele.[12]
IV- Characterized by a lack of cerebellar development.[13
Since everyone is diff, we all will have diff symptoms.....so u will have to let us know what symptoms u have and which u r having the most difficulty with.
"selma"
I HAVE AN IDEAL THAT IT COULD BE STAGE 2 CHAIRI NO MRI ON MY BACK BUT HAVE ALL OF SYMPTOMS COULD U GIVE SOME ADVICE ON SOME OF SYMPTOMS AND WHAT TO DO PLEASE I AM VERY SCARED
COMMUNITY LEADER
DDD is not the cause of ur chiari, we just have it in addition to it.
Chiari is mostly congentital ( from birth) and what ever triggered ur's may be unknown...it could be a ride on a roller coaster, a bumpy car ride...an accident, or a fall.
Everyone will develope DDD as we grow older, we just tend to get it a bit earlier than most.
"selma"
Chiari is mostly congentital ( from birth) and what ever triggered ur's may be unknown...it could be a ride on a roller coaster, a bumpy car ride...an accident, or a fall.
Everyone will develope DDD as we grow older, we just tend to get it a bit earlier than most.
"selma"
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