Persuasive info in support of the work by Dr F;
1.
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Who%20gets%20MS.asp “Approximately 400,000 Americans
acknowledge having MS, and every week about 200 people are diagnosed. Worldwide, MS may affect 2.5 million
individuals.”
2.
http://www.thechiariinstitute.com “Until recent years, CM1 was regarded as a rare condition. With the
increased availability of magnetic resonance imaging, the number of reported cases has risen sharply. Current
estimates range from 200,000 to 2 million Americans with the condition. Genetic studies spearheaded by Dr. Milhorat
support a hereditary tendency with a transmissibility rate of 12 percent. Women are affected three times more often
than men. Approximately 3,500 Chiari operations are performed each year in the United States.”
3.
http://www.conquerchiari.org/FAQ.htm “Estimates for the number of people with true Chiari range as high
as 500,000 in the United States. A more conservative estimate of 300,000 would mean that 1 in 1,000 people have
Chiari, or 0.1% of the population.”
4. Milhorat TH, Chou MW, Trinidad EM, Kula RW, Mandell M, Wolpert C, Speer, MC. Neurosurgery. 1999
May;44(5):1005-17. Chiari I malformation redefined: clinical and radiographic findings for 364 symptomatic patients.
5. McGirt ML, Nimjee SM, Floyd J, Bulsara KR, George TM Neurosurgery. 2005 Apr; 56(4):716-21 Correlation
of cerebrospinal fluid flow dynamics and headache in Chiari I malformation. “Regardless of the degree of tonsillar
ectopia, occipital headaches were strongly associated with hindbrain CSF flow abnormalities.”
6. Quigley MF, Iskandar B, Quigley ME, Nicosia M, Haughton V. Radiology. 2004 Jul;232(1):229-36. Epub
2004 May 20. Cerebrospinal fluid flow in foramen magnum: temporal and spatial patterns at MR imaging in
volunteers and in patients with Chiari I malformation. “CSF flow in symptomatic patients with Chiari I malformation,
unlike that in volunteer subjects, is characterized by flow jets, regions with a preponderance of flow in one direction,
and synchronous bidirectional flow.”
7.
http://www.thechiariinstitute.com/chiari_about.html “The majority of patients complain of severe headache
and neck pain. Other common symptoms are dizziness, vertigo, disequilibrium, visual disturbances, ringing in the
ears, difficulty swallowing, palpitations, sleep apnea, muscle weakness, impaired fine motor skills, chronic fatigue
and painful tingling of the hands and feet. Because of this complex symptomatology, patients with CM1 are
frequently misdiagnosed.”
8.
http://www.asap.org/chiari-malformation.html “Headaches are often accentuated by coughing, sneezing or
straining. Patients may complain of dizziness, vertigo, disequilibrium, muscle weakness or balance problems. Often
fine motor skills and hand coordination will be affected. Vision problems can also occur. Some patients experience
blurred or double vision, difficulty in tracking objects or a hypersensitivity to bright lights. Physical examination may
reveal nystagmus (involuntary eye movements). Other symptoms include tinnitus (buzzing or ringing in the ear),
hearing loss or vocal cord paralysis. Patients may have difficulty swallowing, frequent gagging and choking and, in
some cases, sleep apnea may be present.”
9.
http://www.asap.org/chiari-malformation.html “The most frequent symptom groupings include: headache,
pain at base of skull/upper neck, progressive scoliosis (curvature of the spine); cerebellar dysfunction (difficulty with
balance, coordination, dysequilbrium, low muscle tone); compression of the lower brainstem to cause alteration of
voice, frequent respiratory tract infections, coughing when swallowing foods and fluids, compression of the spinal
cord or distention due to accumulating fluid (hydromyelia); suspended alteration of sensation (e.g., arms are effected
but legs not); central cord disturbance (injury to central part of spinal cord with resultant weakness greater in arms
than legs); spasticity (abnormally high muscle tone or tightness, especially with movement of the muscle).
Combinations of these syndromes occur commonly.”
10. Milhorat TH, Chou MW, Trinidad EM, Kula RW, Mandell M, Wolpert C, Speer, MC. Neurosurgery. 1999
May;44(5):1005-17. Chiari I malformation redefined: clinical and radiographic findings for 364 symptomatic patients.
http://www.chiariconnectioninternationa ... mation.pdf
Really shows how the dx process is lacking for PwMS and Chiari!
;)
Nigel