Cuthbert S, Blum, C, Symptomatic Arnold-Chiari Malformation and Cranial Nerve Dysfunction: A Case Study of Applied Kinesiology Cranial Evaluation and Treatment, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Accepted for Publication July 2003.

Introduction: A single case study is presented with complex optic nerve neuritis (producing partial blindness in the right eye) exacerbated by an Arnold-Chiari Type I Malformation (ACM) of the brain in a twenty-year-old female.

Objective: Present overview of secondary effects of ACM, and chiropractic approaches for treatment of a patient with severe visual dysfunction complicated by ACM.

Intervention and Outcome: Chiropractic evaluation and treatment, and in particular applied kinesiology chiropractic and cranial evaluation and treatment, were used for treatment of loss of vision and nystagmus. Following applied kinesiology spinal and cranial bone treatment the patient's ability to see, to read, and to perform smooth eye tracking showed significant improvement.

Conclusion: Further studies into applied kinesiology and cranial bone manipulative treatments for visual dysfunctions associated with ACM are indicated to evaluate whether this single case study can be representative of a group of patients who might benefit from this care.