Chiari Malformation Question

[Heather2414]

I learned when I was in my teens that I had the Chiari in the back of my head from Children's Hospital and they told me it was nothing to worry about til I gotten really bad headaches or numbness in part of my face,at the time I was having some nerve problems witch they didn't think I guess that it could have been the Chiari from everything I keep reading about that in bad cases it can cause nerve problems..Doctor's just tend to blame my leg weakness and foot drop to my back I had to have emergency back surgery in 2006 but now I'm not so sure it was needed doctor is in alot of trouble,now I feel like my leg weakness and foot drop is getting worse for me my balance is more worse now I believe.Now can the Chiari cause the foot drop in both feet and weakness in my legs??? And could the Chiari had been the problem all along?? I have read a lot of places online it can but you can't believe everything what you read and wanted to ask you guys..

[Mockbettys2]

I had drop foot a few years ago. My neurologist and podiatrist said it originated from my neck. It was inconclusive at the time, but years later we discovered the Chiari Malformation I. But, they fixed the drop foot with a lot of physical therapy!! No surgery. I wore a back brace for a year, did active release technique(A.R.T. is amazing!! I believe this helped the most), and STIM therapy, massages a few times per week, shots of cortisone ( I think) in my spine and regular PT. It took about 9 months. But I'm back to normal(walking normally and light jogging). I also back problems and problems with balance and migraines. I'm so afraid it will come back. But, I hope this helps!! I see it's been awhile since this post, but maybe it will help someone else too!

[selmaS]

  Hi...it is the comment of the subtotal effacement of CSF that concerns me...the MRI 1- was without contrast and was not a CINE MRI so not sure what they were getting at, but this is the first thing I would look into with a CINE MRI.

[Heather2414]

I have found the MRI CD of Chiari that was in 2007 that was the only time they checked it I believe,and would you be able to tell me what I'm about to type tell me what it means I know its Chiari 1 but other than that I don't know anything..
CT Head W/O contrast says
Chiari 1.MRI of the craniocervical junction is recommended for further evaluation.
The left cerebellar tonsil extends 9mm below the level of the foramen magnum and the right extends 6.5mm below.
There is subtotal effacement of the CSF ventral to the cervicomedullary junction of dorsal to the low-lying cerebellar tonsils...

I first part I think I understand witch says recommended for further evaluation they didn't do anything that I can remember all I remember is them telling me it was nothing to worry about..Does this sound bad to you guys at all???

[wonderchiari]

Hi welcome here.
I think so there are many conditions that cause a foot drop and chiari/syringomyelia  is also among them .
There are some more neuro dieseases too which have foot drop as a symptom.
For eg.Charcot marie tooth diesease is also a diesease where foot drop is thought as a dx   symptom ..
as for as I know nerve conduction test studies the activity of the nerves It is upto the dr to interpret and dx.,as to what is creating the weakness .if any.

Like selmaS has said there are related  conditions to chiari .

I have read that there are people with chiari having memory /speech problems and messing up of words .

If you feel that  chiari might be the troubleshooter better that you  consult  a all knowing chiari specialist ..

[Heather2414]

Can the foot drop get any better I'm 25 now,last nerve test I had was about year and half after 2006 so do the time frame sorry not good in doing all that lol.But that nerve test showed after the 2006 surgery that my nerves were still alive below my knee but were just weak and the nerves above my knee repaired them self's I'm guessing with the surgery.But I have always had trouble remembering even the things I really did want to remember and my words get messed up really bad when I talk and when I was in school I was in speech therapy every year...