10 Symptoms of Chiari Malformation

By james

Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky

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Our skulls are made of thick bone that is difficult to penetrate or break. This helps to provide a strong defensive casing for our otherwise fragile brains. While the skull usually makes an excellent defense, it can sometimes become a hindrance as well.

A Chiari malformation is caused when the skull is misshapen somehow. This can cause part of the brain to be pushed down into the spinal canal. The symptoms can vary in severity and some people may not even experience any symptoms at all. Others, though, can find that it will impact their quality of life severely.

Symptom #1: Poor Hand Coordination

Our hands are just one of many reasons why we were able to become the dominant species on the planet. With our opposable thumbs and great dexterity, we are able to manipulate objects around us in ways that few other animals are able. This, combined with a powerful brain, allows us to do some incredible things.

If there are complications with the brain, though, then the coordination in the hands can begin to suffer. Patients with a Chiari malformation are likely to find that they will have difficulties with coordinating their hands. This can make even relatively simple tasks difficult to accomplish.