Association Between Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, and the Chiari I Malformation

Abstract

Patients with fibromyalgia (FM), chronic fatigue (CF), and Chiari malformation type I (CM I) can have overlapping symptoms, including headaches, vertigo, tremors, and gait instability. Authors have proposed that cervical stenosis may be the cause of many of these symptoms in patients with FM, although data is limited on the effectiveness of posterior fossa or cervical decompression in patients with FM or CF. While there are a few retrospective, non-randomized studies that support an association between FM and CM I, there is one prospective, randomized, high-quality cohort study demonstrating no association between FM and CM I. In this chapter, we will review current evidence on the possible association between FM, CF, and CM I.