Archive for the ‘scoliosis’ Category
Scoliosis and Chiropractic Therapies
When the body is looked at from behind, a normal spine appears straight without much alteration from side-to-side.Scoliosis is an affliction that is generally associated with a lateral, or side-to-side, curvature of the spine.The condition shouldn’t be confused with bad posture, even though it often gives the appearance that the individual is leaning to one side. Scoliosis is a troublesome deformity that is defined by both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebra often causing a symptomatic “rib hump” in the mid or thoracic spine. This is caused by the vertebrae in the zone of the major curve rotating toward the concavity and pushing their attached ribs posterior thus causing the distinctive 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 obstructed. Often later in life in untreated severe idiopathic infantile and juvenile scoliosis patients, this amount of curve and consequential cardiac and pulmonary changes can be life threatening.
Anatomy
If you were to view the trunk from a side view, the spine would reveal four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. The thoracic, in the chest vicinity, 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. Increased kyphosis in the thoracic area is called hyperkyphosis, while heightened swayback is termed, hyperlordosis. Scoliosis changes generally accompany alterations from normal on a side view. Some round back deformities are simply due to bad posture and can often be resolved with postural exercises. A small number of people with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are coincidental with vertebral deformity. This kind of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much more difficult to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.
Almost anyone can help to identify a child or grownup with scoliosis merely by observing the person in a standing position, preferably without a shirt and in boxers, and observing the following:
- One shoulder may be more elevated than the other.
- One scapula (shoulder blade) may be more elevated or more pronounced than the other.
- With the arms hanging loosely at the sides, there may be more room between the arm and the body on one side.
- One hip may appear to be raised or more prominent than the other.
- The head is not aligned with the pelvis.
- When the person is viewed from the rear and asked to bend forward until the spine is horizontal, one side of the back looks higher than the other.
The child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further evaluation once scoliosis is suspected. your chiropractor would be happy to help.
There are various origins and many types of scoliosis, but the most common, by far, is Idiopathic Scoliosis, which accounts for nearly 85 % of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is seen with equal occurrence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. This affliction can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent types, depending upon the age of onset. Idiopathic Scoliosis may be due to genetic or hereditary influences as it frequently runs in families. For reasons yet to be found, girls are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves grow in size and require treatment. The most common time for the development of Idiopathic Scoliosis is during adolescence when children are completing the last major growth spurt. Unfortunately, at this age young people are hesitant to allow their body to be seen by parents and other adults, so it is smart to have this age group examined on a regular basis.
It is vital that if a scoliotic curve is found in a growing adolescent, the curves be monitored for any change by a periodic examination and from time to time standing x-rays. In ninety percent of conditions, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, though| increases in spinal deformity demand evaluation to decide if a brace or other therapy is needed. In a small number of patients, surgical treatment may be required.~Surgery may be needed for a small number of people.
Brace support (orthosis) is recommended for both juvenile and adolescent children when an increase in their scoliosis or kyphosis is observed, or when new conditions of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis are discovered. There are a number of kinds of braces, all made to prevent curves from increasing through the process of acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Braces generally won’t make the spine completely straight, and cannot always keep a curve from increasing. But, bracing is successful in halting curve progression in a significant portion of skeletally-immature adolescents.
Scoliosis has no simple resolution. The majority of cases, even though often monitored, are not actively treated. Severe symptoms are sometimes treated surgically, but the common medical treatment for moderate symptoms is a brace. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.
Along with bracing, many other therapies have been used successfully including specialized exercise, electric stimulation of spinal muscles, nutritional programs, and chiropractic treatments. It appears that the best results have been sustained with a multi-faceted approach to the care of this affliction.
There are chiropractors, that have excellent success treating scoliosis cases.