#78 Dangers of Misdiagnosing TMD/TMJ as Chiari Malformation

Chiari Malformation is a very uncommon disease affecting only one in one thousand people.

There are four (4) types of Chiari Malformation.  The most common type is Chiari Malformation Type 1, which occurs when the lower part of the cerebellum, that part of the brain responsible for movement and balance, pushes through or herniates through the large hole at the base of the skull called the foremen magnum.  Normally only the spinal cord passes through the foramen magnum.  However, when part of the cerebellum herniates past the foramen magnum into the spinal canal, symptoms similar to TMD/TMJ can occur.  Chiari Malformation Types 2 through 4 are more severe malformations and are very unlikely to be confused with TMD/TMJ.

Some of the symptoms that occur with Chiari Malformation include, headaches, neck and shoulder pain, dizziness, tingling of the arms, swallowing problems, hearing loss.  Some of the symptoms that can occur with TMD/TMJ include headaches, neck and shoulder pain, dizziness, tingling of the arms, swallowing problems, and hearing loss.

Therefore, it is not surprising that these two diseases can be confused and patients with TMD/TMJ are misdiagnosed as having Chiari Malformation.  Many people who show radiographic evidence of herniation of the cerebellum through the foramen magnum have no symptoms.  So Chiari Malformation is most often diagnosed by MRI’s taken for reasons other than symptoms.  There is no need to treat Chiari Malformation without symptoms.

TMD/TMJ can have similar or the same symptoms of Chiari Malformation and can now be predictably and successfully treated with a small oral device and protocol (Urbanek Device and Protocol) that alleviates the inflammation with the temporomandibular joint.  Chiari Malformation Type1 is treated by neuro-surgically enlarging the foramen magnum.  Surgically enlarging the foramen magnum is a very difficult surgery with many potential serious complications and a long post-surgical recovery period.  The average cost to surgically treat Chiari Malformation varies between $25,000 and $65,000.

When TMD/TMJ is misdiagnosed as Chiari Malformation patients can suffer extensive physical, emotional, and economic pain without a solution for the problem.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with symptoms suspicious for Chiari Malformation include Demyelinating Disease, Tumor, and Vascular Disorders.  No mention is made that TMD/TMJ can be confused with Chiari Malformation Type 1.

Confusing these two diseases can be quite catastrophic.

Our practice has had two patients misdiagnosed as having Chiari Malformation while the actual cause of their symptoms was TMD/TMJ.  In both cases these female patients underwent neurosurgical enlargement of the foramen magnum without symptom relief following their extended recovery periods.  Both patients presented to me with a history of recurring headaches, neck and shoulder pain, hearing loss and arm tingling and numbness.  In both cases these symptoms cleared after being treated with our non-surgical device and protocol.

There are definite dangers of misdiagnosing TMD/TMJ and confusing it with migraine headaches, ear infections, Meniere’s Disease.  But the most dangerous is misdiagnosing TMD/TMJ and confusing it with Chiari Malformation.

If you have been diagnosed as having migraine headaches, recurrent ear infections, Meniere’s Disease of Chiari Malformation without symptoms resolution, you may want to consider scheduling a consultation to see if you are suffering these symptoms because of TMD/TMJ.