IN HR0032

Designates September as Chiari Malformation Month in Indiana to promote advocacy and awareness

Chiari malformation is a neurological disorder characterized by herniation of the cerebellum, which blocks cerebrospinal fluid circulation and can cause spinal cord cavities

Type I symptoms include severe headache, dizziness, visual disturbances, difficulty swallowing, sleep apnea, and chronic fatigue; patients are frequently misdiagnosed due to complex symptomology

Reported cases have risen from 200,000 to 2 million Americans due to increased use of MRI technology; genetic studies show a 12% hereditary transmissibility rate

Women are three times more likely than men to be affected; surgery is often the only treatment to halt progression of damage to the central nervous system