Scoliosis: An Introduction

When the body is viewed from behind, a normal spine is straight without much deviation from laterally.Scoliosis is a disorder that is commonly associated with a lateral, or side-to-side, curvature of the spine.The affliction shouldn’t be confused with bad posture, although it oftentimes gives the appearance that the person is leaning to one side. Characterized by both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebra, this puzzling deformity often causes a characteristic “rib hump” in the mid or thoracic spine. This is created by the vertebrae in the region of the major curve rotating toward the concavity and pushing their fastened ribs posterior thus producing the symptomatic rib hump seen in thoracic scoliosis. If the thoracic curve and rib rotation are severe, more than 70 degrees, pulmonary and cardiac function can be impeded. This intensity of curve and consequential cardiac and pulmonary changes are often seen later in life in untreated severe idiopathic infantile and juvenile scoliosis patients and, as such, present a threat to life.

Anatomy

If you were to view the trunk from a side view, the spine would disclose four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. The thoracic, in the chest region, has a healthy round curve, “reversed C,” called a kyphosis, while in the lower spine there is a normal “C” curve, known as swayback or lordosis. Hyperlordosis is the term used to describe heightened swayback, while increased kyphosis in the thoracic spine is called hyperkyphosis. Alterations from normal that are visible from a side view regularly accompany scoliosis changes. Postural exercises can resolve some round back deformities that are simply due to bad posture. A small number of people with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are coincidental with vertebral deformity. This type of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much harder to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.

Even a layman can help to identify a child or adult with scoliosis merely by observing the person in a standing position, preferably with no shirt and in , and observing the following:

• One shoulder may be more elevated than the other.

• One scapula (shoulder blade) may be raised or more conspicuous than the other.

• There may be more space between the arm and the body on one side when the arms hang loosely at the side.

• One hip may seem to be higher or more prominent than the other.

• The head is not in plumb with the pelvis.

• One side of the back appears more raised than the other when the individual is observed from the rear and asked to lean forward until the the spine is horizontal.

The child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further diagnosis once scoliosis is detected. your chiropractor would be happy to help.

The most prevalent type of scoliosis is, by far, Idiopathic, and even though there are many different causes and many varieties, Idiopathic Scoliosis accounts for about 85% of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is witnessed with equal occurrence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. Depending on the age of onset, this affliction can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent categories. Idiopathic Scoliosis often runs in families and may be due to genetic or hereditary influences. However girls, for unknown reasons are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves increase in size and require treatment. The most general time for the development of Idiopathic Scoliosis is during adolescence when children are completing the last major growth spurt. It is smart to have this age group observed by a professional on a regular basis because young people are hesitant to allow their body to be looked at by parents or other adults.

If a scoliotic curve is found in the growing adolescent, it is vital that the curves be monitored for change by periodic examination and occasionally standing X-rays. In ninety percent of cases, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, however increases in spinal deformity demand evaluation to ascertain if a brace or other treatment is needed. In a small number of patients, surgical treatment may be needed.~Surgery may be needed for a small number of patients.

Brace treatment (orthosis) is recommended for newly-identified cases of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis, as well as when an increase in scoliosis or kyphosis is identified in both juvenile and adolescent children. There are a number of types of braces, all made to prevent curves from increasing by acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Braces normally will not make the spine perfectly straight, and cannot always keep a curve from increasing. Nevertheless, bracing is effective in stopping curve progression in a very large portion of skeletally-immature adolescents.

There is no simple answer for scoliosis. Most cases, even though regularly monitored, are not actively treated. The standard medical treatment for moderate cases is a brace, whereas severe cases in some cases are treated surgically. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.

Besides bracing, many other methods have been used successfully like specialized exercise, electric stimulation of spinal muscles, nutritional programs, and chiropractic treatments. It looks as if the best results have been sustained with a multi-faceted approach to the treatment of this abnormality.

There are chiropractors, that have excellent success managing scoliosis conditions.

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