When my NL and I first discussed Chiari, he told me that it was NOT rare, but actually fairly common. What caused it to be "rare" is that it didnt become widely and accurately diagnosable until after the invention of the MRI around 1985.

The fact still remains, that it is an uncertainty how many people are living with a Chiari Malformation who still show no symptoms or who are living with a misdiagnosis of MS or Parkensons. I know that after my diagnosis, when word got out, 5 more people were diagnosed (or rediagnosed) with CM. Two previously with Parkensons and another with MS. All five had CM surgery, and within 6 months the two "Parkensons" patients and the MS patient were both off half the meds they were previously taking.

I'm a firm believer that part of the 'rarity' of CM is mis-information and part of it is due to mis-diagnosis.

Just my two cents.

God Bless Us Everyone!!!!

Dawn