Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a fancy medical term that simply means you have a curvature in your spine.  This condition may be more noticeable and troublesome in some individuals.  A normal spine is a straight vertical line from your neck to your lower back.  However, in scoliosis your spine curves outward toward one side of your body or the other.  Here is what scoliosis looks like as compared to a normal spine…take a look.

There are many types of scoliosis and causes alike.  Following are some examples.

ü  Congenital Scoliosis.  This type is caused by an abnormality in the bone that is usually present at birth.

ü  Neuromuscular scoliosis.  This occurs as a result of abnormal muscles or nerves.  Most often, this is observed in individuals with spina bifida or cerebral palsy.  This could also be the case if an individual has a condition that is accompanied by, or results in, paralysis.

ü  Degenerative Scoliosis.  This type may result from an injury or illness, previous major surgery to the back, or osteoporosis.

ü  Idiopathic scoliosis.  This is the most common type and it has no specific cause that can be identified.  There is strong evidence though that idiopathic scoliosis is inherited, because this disorder tends to run in families.

Screening for scoliosis begins very early on during grade school.  Some cases of scoliosis however do not progress until later on in adulthood and could result in troubling complications.  Diagnosis of this condition and which type an individual has is completed by a bone exam and x-ray images to evaluate the extent of the curvature of the spine.  There are some clues to look for that may lead you to discover you or a loved one has scoliosis which include:  appearance of uneven shoulder, a prominent shoulder blade, uneven waist, leaning more to one side, or noticing that one hip is higher than the other. 

The majority of scoliosis cases are mild; however the more severe cases may be disabling and can even reduce the amount of space within the chest, which in turn can make it difficult for the lungs to function at their optimal levels.  Keep in mind that as the curvature in scoliosis worsens, the spine will also rotate or twist.  This twisting will cause the ribs on one side of the body to stick out farther than the other side.  So, severe scoliosis can cause back pain and/or difficulty breathing.  Here are the complications that could be caused in greater detail:

ü  Lung & Heart Damage.  This occurs with severe cases.  The rib cage may put extra pressure on the lungs and heart, which will make it more difficult for you to breathe and will cause your heart to have to work extra hard to pump blood.

ü  Back Problems.  Adults who had scoliosis as a child are more likely to have chronic back pain than others in the general population.

ü  Appearance Problems.  As scoliosis continues to progress and worsen, it can cause more noticeable changes in the way you look as mentioned above.  These changes can cause individuals to become self-conscious in the way they look or are perceived by others…which then could lead to an array of other conditions such as depression and withdrawing from activities they used to enjoy.

Treatment for scoliosis will depend upon the type an individual has and to what extent of spine curvature is present.  Some treatment options include the use of braces during younger years of life to slow down the process, or surgery could also be an option if the curvature of the spine is beyond 40 to 50 degrees.  The main goal of surgery for this condition is to halt any progression, but most likely it will not completely restore and give you back your perfectly straight spine.

Total Home Health has a program that is right for you if you or a loved one is suffering from scoliosis.  The main goal of our professional staff will be to maintain your current level of functioning while paying close attention to any possible signs of difficulty breathing or increase in back pain from your scoliosis.  At the first inclination of any changes in your condition, we will see that your provider immediately knows in order to alter your plan of care in order to always ensure the most successful outcomes for you.  Family means everything so enroll today and we’ll do all we can to see that you enjoy your days to the fullest!