Your San Jose Chiropractor wants you to know as much as you can about your scoliosis and how you can get the pain relief you need:

Scoliosis: An Introduction

A normal spine looks straight, without much deviation from one side to the other, when the body is viewed from behind.Scoliosis is an affliction that is often associated with a lateral, or side-to-side, curvature of the spine.This condition often gives the appearance of the patient leaning to one side but it should not be confused with poor posture. Scoliosis is a complicated deformity that is defined by both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebra frequently causing a characteristic “rib hump” in the mid or thoracic spine. This is caused by the vertebrae in the region of the major curve rotating toward the concavity and pushing their connected ribs posterior thus creating the symptomatic rib hump seen in thoracic scoliosis. The pulmonary and cardiac functions can be interfered with if the thoracic curve and rib rotation is more than 70 degrees. Frequently later in life in untreated severe idiopathic infantile and juvenile scoliosis patients, this amount of curve and subsequent cardiac and pulmonary changes can be life threatening.

Anatomy

The spine reveals four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral, all of which are observable from a side view of the trunk. In the lower spine there is a normal “C-shaped” curve called swayback or lordosis, while the thoracic curve in the chest vicinity has a “reverse C” called a kyphosis. Hyperlordosis is the term used to describe increased swayback, while increased kyphosis in the thoracic spine is called hyperkyphosis. Scoliosis changes regularly accompany diversions from normal on a side view. Postural exercises can eliminate some round back deformities that are simply due to unhealthy posture. A small number of individuals with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are associated with vertebral deformity. This class of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much harder to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.

Even a nonprofessional can help to identify a child or grownup with scoliosis just by observing the person in a standing position, preferably with no shirt and in briefs, and observing the following:

• One shoulder may be more elevated than the other.

• One scapula (shoulder blade) may be more elevated or more prominent 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 pronounced than the other.

• The head is not in plumb with the pelvis.

• One side of the back appears more elevated than the other when the individual is analyzed from the rear and asked to flex forward until the the spine is horizontal.

Once scoliosis is suspected, the child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further assessment. your chiropractor would be happy to help.

The most prevailing class of scoliosis is, by far, Idiopathic, and even though there are many different roots and many types, Idiopathic Scoliosis accounts for about 85% of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is witnessed with equal prevalence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. This disorder can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent types, based upon the age of onset. Idiopathic Scoliosis may be due to genetic or hereditary influences as it commonly runs in families. For reasons yet to be found, girls are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves increase in size and require treatment. As the term “Idiopathic Scoliosis” infers, this class of scoliosis more often than not happens when children are finishing their last major growth spurt. It is a good idea to have this age group viewed by a professional on a regular basis because young people are hesitant to let their body to be viewed by parents or other adults.

It is vital that if a scoliotic curve is found in a growing adolescent, the curves be monitored for any advancement by a periodic examination and on occasion standing x-rays. In ninety percent of instances, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, but increases in spinal deformity require evaluation to decide if a brace or other therapy is needed. In a small number of individuals, surgical treatment may be necessary.~Surgery may be necessary for a small number of individuals.

Brace therapy (orthosis) is recommended for newly-diagnosed conditions of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis, as well as when an increase in scoliosis or kyphosis is observed in both juvenile and adolescent children. There are many styles of braces, all created to prevent curves from increasing through acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Braces will not usually make the spine entirely straight, and cannot always keep a curve from increasing. Nevertheless, bracing is effectual in preventing curve progression in a very large percentage of skeletally-immature adolescents.

There is no simple resolution for scoliosis. Nearly all cases, even though frequently monitored, are not actively treated. Severe conditions are sometimes treated surgically, but the standard medical treatment for moderate conditions is a brace. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.

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

There are chiropractors, that have years of experience managing scoliosis cases.

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractor, scoliosis