If someone you know is constantly experiencing yawning-induced headaches, difficulty swallowing, facial pain, or “restless legs syndrome,” they may have Arnold-Chiari I syndrome.

The World Association of Arnold Chiari Malformation published a series of statistics in the year 2008. The content included a list of the most common symptoms of Arnold Chiari I Syndrome. They are listed below:

Headaches in the occipito-cervical region that increase with exertion, with coughing and with laughter, 90%

fatigue, 90%

Loss of sight, 81%

Loss of balance, 81%

Loss of strength overall, 77%

General loss of balance, 77%

Reduced mobility, 74%

Intolerance to bright light, 74%

Vertigo when the patient changes position, 74%

Difficulty driving, 74%

Strong reduction in patient mobility, 74%

Difficulty walking on uneven terrain, 74%

Pressure at neck level, 71%

Pain and/or pressure behind the eyes, 71%

Back pain (previous back injury, 34%) 71%

Points in the field of vision, 68%

Neck spasms 68%

Insomnia, 61%

Ear noise, 61%

Frequent falls, 61%

High-pitched sound intolerance, high-pitched sound-induced confusion, 58%

Nystagmus, 58%

Ringing in the head, 58%

Loss of sense of strength in extremities, 58%

Low muscle tone, 55%

Double vision, 55%

Difficulty swallowing, 55%

Unusual salivation, 55%

Spontaneous vertigo, 55%

Tremors in extremities, 55%

Blood circulation problems, 55%

Sinusitis, 55%

Nausea, 52%

Neck pulsations, 52%

Difficulty reading, 52%.

More commonly known as “Chiari malformation,” Arnold-Chiari syndrome is a brain disorder caused by a malformed cerebellar tonsil that causes part of it to protrude toward the base of the skull, through the occipital cavity, or foramen magnum. This defect can slow the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a person’s spine, as well as put pressure on brain tissue.

As Arnold Chiari I Syndrome evolves in the patient, diagnosis becomes a challenging task. However, the complications and risks involved are considerable. The experience can be very difficult, especially for patients who are used to an active lifestyle, live alone, or play a significant role in supporting their families.

Currently, there are four types of Chiari malformations recognized by the medical community. While types 2, 3, and 4 commonly occur in infants and children, Arnold-Chiari I syndrome is found more often in adults, and most patients don’t realize they have the condition. Most patients find out they have Chiari malformation after they start to feel symptoms or after an exam for an unrelated medical condition.

While speech therapy and physical therapy can help stop the complications that arise from the Type 1 condition, they do not directly address the root cause, which is the blockage caused by the cerebellar tonsils. Patients who are severely debilitated from the most severe symptoms may need surgery to help relieve the pressure imposed by the tonsils.

Surgery is the only suitable course that can directly address this problem, which normally takes the form of a decompressive craniectomy. In this procedure, the surgeon removes a section of the skull to reduce swelling in the brain. While the procedure has been successful in reducing complications from other brain injuries, it carries considerable risks, including brain abscesses, cerebral edema, and meningitis.

However, there are medical institutions that specialize in Chiari malformation research and have developed new surgical procedures that result in reduced postoperative trauma and shorter recovery times for the patient.

One such treatment for Arnold-Chiari I syndrome currently under review involves treating not the skull, but the filum terminale that anchors the spine. This procedure has been successfully performed during surgery on over 1,000 patients, but is typically only performed by clinics that specialize in treating people suffering from Chiari, scoliosis, and similar spinal disorders.