About the Chiari CARE Program

Finding the best neurosurgeon for your Chiari surgery can be a challenge. As with other procedures, the best surgeons are the ones with a lot of experience with your condition, so ask how many Chiari decompression surgeries he or she has done. Another important factor is where the neurosurgeon performs surgery. Chiari is a complex condition that requires multidisciplinary care, so the best choice is a neurosurgeon who practices in a major medical center with access to a full team. Most of all, the neurosurgeon needs to be someone who understands you, and with whom you feel 100 percent comfortable. For more information, see How to Choose a Neurosurgeon for Chiari.

As long as your employment does not involve heavy exertion, you will usually return in two or three weeks. Children can return to school after two or three weeks, but should not participate in physical education classes or recess for about six weeks. (See more on Diagnosing and Treating Chiari Malformation.)

No. Some patients do not require any treatment, and in some cases we can opt to treat the symptoms only, with pain medication. But managing pain does not treat the condition — surgery is the only option that treats Chiari. (Read more on Surgery for Chiari Malformation.)