congenital or not?

hello.. i've just been recently diagnosed to be having Chiari I Malformation.. My herniation is at 1.2cm in size.. I still have to visit my neurologist again in a couple of days.  I am sure to ask him many more questions about Chiari..

im just wondering if in all cases, Chiari is congenital.. my grandma died in 1998 of brain tumor. is it possible i got this from her?

do i really need surgery for this?  what precautions should I take from now on?

thanks so much!

[n40066]

hi dang!  and welcome to our family!  my what a big herniation you have!  lol!  sorry, it's not a laughing matter, but many days, that's the only way to get thru the day...humor!

they do believe that chiari is congenital, but chiari is different from a brain tumor.  also, it is very possible to have a herniation as large as yours and still have no symptoms at all!  in order to answer your questions, you need to give us a little more information.  such as symptoms...do you have any?  what are they?  do you also have a syrinx?  tethered cord?  have you been checked for these things?  sorry to ask so many questions, but it's really difficult to answer yours without more info!
elizabeth

[selmaS]

Hi and welcome to the chiari forum.

Like Lizzy said chiari is congenital...it can also be acquired as well.
Ur herniation is large, but, it is the width and shape that may cause it to be a blockage issue.

The MRI's should be able to help determine if it is causing a blockage or if u have overcrowding...or for that matter if u developed a syrinx.

I would also ask if u can get more detailed information on ur grandmother's condition......I just wonder if she may have  had a syrinx and not a tumor....????

Glad to have u here, sorry for the reasons that brought u.

"selma"

[*Stormy*]

Welcome!

I think the issue of whether it is congenital or not, is related to whether you have a smaller back portion of your skull than normal. This is something that happens when you are formed in the womb.

Like Selma said though, Chiari can also be caused by trauma. If you are like me and can not recall anything traumatic that has caused it, then most likely you were born with it.

When I asked my NS why...if I was born with it, why is it affecting me now in my 30's? His reply was that usually a change in the cervical spine will cause it to become symptomatic.

Hope that helps!
Carolyn