Bobby Jones Chiari & Syringomyelia Foundation

The Chiari & Syringomyelia Foundation (CSF) is a voluntary, non-profit organization whose mission is to advance knowledge through research and to educate the medical, allied sciences, and lay community about Chiari malformation, syringomyelia, and related CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) disorders. Chiari I malformation is a congenital malformation in which the back compartment of the skull is formed too small and results in crowding of neurological tissues. The lower part of the cerebellum, called the cerebellar tonsils, hangs down through the opening at the bottom of the skull and causes blockage of spinal fluid to the spinal canal. This crowding and blockage often brings on neurological symptoms including headache, dizziness, blurred vision, and many others. In some people, spinal fluid can build up inside the spinal cord. This can be due to the blockage from a Chiari malformation, spinal trauma, a tumor, or other causes. As the amount of spinal fluid increases, it creates a cavity in the spinal cord called a syrinx. This results in stretching and eventually injury to nerve fibers. The condition is called syringomyelia and can cause numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in the arms, legs, and body.