The Dallas County Commission recognized September as Chiari Malformation Awareness Month and honored a Dallas County resident who has lived with the disease at their Sept. 12 meeting.
John Harper, who suffers from the condition, told the commission that Chiari Malformation is a condition whereby the base of the skull where the spinal cord passes through, is misshapen, causing the cerebellum to be pushed down the spinal cord. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that controls balance and coordination, so someone with this condition may have problems in these areas among others. Symptoms include headache, neck pain, balance issues, hearing problems, dizziness and even insomnia and depression.
There are two ways CM can develop. The most common cause are structural defects in the brain and spinal cord that occur during fetal development. This is called primary or congenital Chiari Malformation. The second way CM can develop is if spinal fluid is drained excessively from the lumbar or thoracic areas of the spine. This could be from a traumatic injury, a disease or an infection. This form of CM is called acquired or secondary Chiari malformation.
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