chiari 1 malformation and parkinson's
 

I have been dx with both. Does C1M cause PD? Which sx overlap? Can c1m ever be mistaken for pd?

The answer to your question can be deduced by comparing the number of people with Chiari Malformation vs. the number with Parkinsons. There are far too many people with Parkinsons and far to few with Chiari for them to be directly related. Also, Parkinsons is a very heavily researched disease compared to Chiari. It might be possible that if there are environmental toxins responsible for one, that same toxin might also be responsible for the other. The leading candidates for causes of Parkinsons are a combination of genetic susceptibility and toxins in the environment. You know, all those pesticides and artificial **** in our food that everyone says are safe?

No I dont think . 2 different things.

Have you been positively diagnosed with Parkinsons?? or are they just taking your symptoms and saying it is Parkinsons?

I say this because I have CM1 and another condiiton similar to parkinsons called Dopa-Responsive Dystonia (DRD). Many of my symptoms from DRD mimic some of the Parkinsons symptoms. If you diagnosis of Parkinsons is not confirmed you many want to check into the DRD.

I have both DRD and CM1 along with having Spinal Fusion at C5&6 6&7 due to a disc that herniated into my spinal cord. There are definately days that I cannot tell what problem is causing which symptoms because they are all so closely related and can overlap. The ones I can tell for sure what they are from are symptoms that have been corrected from the two surgeries (decompression w/ laminectomy and duraplasty-Feb 08 and Spinal Fusion Nov 09) or by the Medication Sinemet I take for the DRD.

I wouldn't go so far as to say it is in any way common to have two conditions but it is not impossible either. It is important with any chronic condition to always keep in mind when new symptoms appear that if could be caused by something else going on not just the ones you know about.

Beverley