Quote:
Originally Posted by poohbear_nc
It appears part of the cerebellum is extending into the spinal canal, outside of the skull, or may even be adhered to the brain stem at its exit from the skull.
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DING DING DING!!! Good eyes, Poohbear!
The condition is called
Arnold-Chiari Malformation.
The cerebral tonsils are herniating into the spinal canal. This causes a build up of cerebral spinal fluid in the brain, pressing the brain down, causing more pressure, causing more herniation. The brain stem become compressed, causing all kinds of lovely problems (heart palpitations, dizziness, difficulty swallowing, regulation of body temperature, etc..) and you can just imagine the headache.
Conquer Chiari is an excellent site for if you want to learn more. And of course, there is always
Wikipedia.