Having an uncommon brain condition called Chiari Malformation, I am used to frequently explaining what it is and how it affects me on a day to day basis. Below, I have written twenty-five different summaries of life with Chiari Malformation, all in seven words or less.
- Too much brain to contain
- Sneezing feels like getting kicked in head
- Brain too big for skull
- There’s two of everything- and it’s blurry
- Brain is trying to escape
- Not all in head- also in spine
- Decension size doesn’t matter, symptoms do
- Can do great impression of brain tumor
- Constant sharp pain in back of head
- Every surface is like walking on ice
- Some get migraines every day
- Symptoms can start during puberty- yay teenagers!
- Can be asymptomatic- but also can’t
- Yes, it causes neurological problems
- Diagnosis comes years after symptoms begin
- Affects one in one thousand people
- Coughing can trigger a migraine
- Comoribity with other chronic illness
- Back spasms, all day, every day
- Can exist with other conditions- like EDS
- Only treatment is surgery, medication doesn’t cure
- Hands and feet randomly vibrate
- Lots of neurologists don’t understand it
- MRI doesn’t show a clear picture
- Migraine drugs don’t work…especially triptans
Thankfully, Chiari Malformation is not life-threatening, and doesn’t necessarily stop me from doing a lot of things (though it certainly tries to some days). I hope that this post brings some insight into what life is like with Chiari.
Related links
- How I Explain Chiari Malformation
- Having an Undiagnosed Chronic Illness in High School
- Life with Chronic Migraines
- How I’m Managing My Back Pain This Semester
