A co-existing condition with a known causal relationship. A condition is said to be “etiological” when it is believed to be the “root cause” of another condition. Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue (HDCTs) are primary examples of Etiological Co-factors to many conditions including Chiari Malformations.
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Etiology
as pertaining to an etiology; as pertaining to the origins of a disease, abnormality, or any other type of medical condition
autonomic
Actions that occur in the body involuntarily and without conscious effort – controlled by the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) that regulates such things as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, digestion, metabolism, etc.
agenesis
Congenital absence or incomplete development of an organ or body part.
Incidental Finding
An “incidental finding,” simply means the condition found was not what the doctors/radiologists were looking for and they do not believe that it is the cause of the problem they were specifically looking into. It says nothing about the seriousness of the condition found.
bilateral
Involving both sides.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD]
A chronic brain condition characterized by attention difficulty, hyperactivity (not necessarily in terms of energy levels, but the inability to stop the brain/thoughts from jumping from subject to subject), and impulsiveness. While most doctors require the presentation of symptoms presented in childhood, traumatic brain injury patients (like those of us with Chiari) can develop a Secondary Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (SADHD) or Acquired Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AADHD) that can be temporary (from certain medications or anesthesia) or permanent (from the damage itself).
aphasia
An acquired disorder in which the patient has trouble communicating (difficulty remembering and in some cases understanding words).
anxiety
Overwhelming feelings of worry or fear.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral means outward from the center.
Neuropathy means a disease of the nerves.
Peripheral Neuropathy (neuropathic pain) describes the pain one experiences in their extremities (or at least outward of the brain and spinal cord) from damaged nerves.
