Scoliosis: in Ancient Greek is known as “obliquity, bending”
• Affects a person 's spine, the spine is usually curved from side to side.
• The spine of an individual with scoliosis can resemble either an
"S“, “C”” or a "?“ shape, compared to a straight line.
• Has the ability to disrupt body alignment, worsen, cause pain and even create deformities in the spine.
• There are two types of curves, non-structural and structural
• Non-structural, is when the spine is structurally normal and the curve is temporary.
• A structural curve has a fixed curve that may get worse.
A few patterns of curves that a individual with scoliosis may have. Scoliosis: Expansion of types …show more content…
Non-Structural: Non-structural scoliosis is a curve in the spin, without rotation. This is usually reversible because it is caused by a conditions such as:
• Pain, muscle spasm
• Difference in leg lengths
It can go away when someone bends or turns sideways and the effect is not so severe and can be fixed easily.
Structural: Structural scoliosis involves a curve in the spine, with rotation, This is irreversible and is caused by an unknown factor (idiopathic), abnormality, disease or conditions including:
Examples of curves that can and can’t • Disorders present at birth (congenital), be cured as easily. One can be
• Possibility of a disorder that affects the corrected while the other persists formation or abnormality of bones and continues to worsen.
(osteopathic)
• Neuromuscular – condition which affects muscles or nerves in the back.
• Injuries, Infections or even Tumours
Scoliosis: Structures effected
• Scoliosis affects the entire musculoskeletal system including the spine, ribs, and pelvis.
• It Impacts upon the brain and central nervous system and affects the body 's digestive systems.
• It is able to deplete the body 's nutritional resources and damage its major organs including the heart and lungs.
• Severe Scoliosis (more than 70 degrees) causes extreme twisting of the spine in structural scoliosis. It can cause the ribs to press against the lungs.
• Distortions may also cause dangerous changes in the heart • Very Severe Scoliosis (more than 100 degrees) curves so much that both the lungs and heart can be injured.
• Very Severe Scoliosis can lead up to lung infections and pneumonia
• Scoliosis victims may have osteopenia (loss of bone mass) • The central nervous system is connected to the spinal cord, which connects to the brain, and could possibly change nerve movement.
A diagram of how close body parts are to the curved spinal cord.
Conditions
Conditions:
• Arthritis- Scoliosis can lead to the joints between vertebrae becoming damaged, causing back arthritis.
• Kyphosis and Deformity- If scoliosis goes untreated the spine can continue to curve until fully twisted.
Kyphosis, is the permanent deformity of the spine
(always looking hunched over).
• Breathing Restriction- Scoliosis can cause the spine to twist to the point that it changes the location of the rib cage, causing it to be twisted around the body. This prevents the lungs from fully expanding, making breathing difficult.
• Twisted ribs can also create a rapid heart rate, and frequent shortness of breath or fatigue
• Leg, hip, knee pain
• Upper thoracic (chest)-Headaches, mood swings,
• Lower back area & digestive problems- Bloating, random bowel movement, causes difficult pregnancy, bladder issues, menstrual pain in women
• Upper back area (thorax)- Affects the lung and heart functions, swallowing becomes difficult, and flow of blood into and out of the heart is disrupted.
• Connective Tissue- May shrink around the spine and muscle to protect them. It doesn’t allow the spine to straighten itself out.
How the spine looks during scoliosis.
Scoliosis: Signs and Initial Eff ects
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Initial effects: When scoliosis begins to develop, you may not feel any symptoms.
Children will not feel any back pain
Uneven shoulder blades and waist
One hip could be higher than the other Your posture can change
Limited range of motion while walking Wasting more energy and having a stiffer walk
Height Loss
Signs: Signs of scoliosis can sometimes not even be noticed.
• Shoulders are uneven – one or both shoulder blades may stick out
• Head is not centered completely above the pelvis
• One or both hips are raised or unusually high
• Rib cages are at different heights
• Waist is uneven
• The appearance or texture of the skin over the spine changes
(dimples, hairy patches, color abnormalities) • The entire body leans to one side
A diagram indicating signs of scoliosis.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis:
• Scoliosis can be observed through a physical examination, an x-ray, spinal radiograph, CT scan or
MRI
• Diagnosis of scoliosis is made based on the spine curve.
10 degrees is positive while any curve is that is greater than to 30 degrees is “significant”, and any curves exceeding 50 degrees are considered “severe”
• A scoliometer, measures the patients curve angle at the apex of the upper and lower back.
• A standard exam is called the Adam 's Forward Bend
Test-the patient leans forward with their feet together and bends 90 degrees at the waist, this angle can show asymmetry of the abnormal spinal curves.
• Other observations include an imbalanced rib cage, with one side being higher than the other, or other deformities.
• Physical examination cannot determine the severity of the deformity. • You can check leg strength and balance of the patient
• Checking leg length and looking for tight tendons in the back of the leg, may detect whether there is any uneven leg length or back problems.
• Doctors can check for any neurological impairment by testing reflexes, nerve sensation, and muscle functions.
Physical tests- how it looks like.
Scoliosis: Technology in
Diagnosis
Technology:
• X-ray- Use of radiation to create either a film/picture of the back and spine, showing the
structure of vertebrae and an outline used to search for any infections, fractures, and deformities. Shows the degree and severity of scoliosis, and can be used for other abnormalities or even determine skeletal growth maturity. Relatively inexpensive.
• Computed tomography scan(CT/ CAT scan)- Diagnostic imaging of an x-ray, shows the shape and size of the spinal canal, its contents, and the structures around it. Great for bone structures
(musculoskeletal system). Very expensive.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)- A diagnostic test that creates 3D images of body structures using powerful magnets and computer technology. Doesn’t use radiation compared to an x-ray. This can show the spinal cord, nerve roots, and show any other surrounding areas. Can find enlargement, degeneration, deformities, and also indicate spinal cord and brain stem abnormalities. Very expensive.
A CAT scan of a
An x-ray of a patients back patients back (with
An MRI of a patients
(with scoliosis) scoliosis) back (with scoliosis)
Treatment: Surgery
Treatment is different for both genders. Women are most often to have worse progression than men. It is important to account age, if you are done growing some methods are much better then others. Also, the degree of the curve should be recognized as well.
Surgery: used for patients with curves above 50 degrees or neurological problems.
• Extremely expensive! Anywhere from $50,000-100,000+ depending on how long the surgery takes and what was used, also has a high risk of side effects and problems.
• Objective is to straighten the spine as much as possible
• Balance the torso and pelvic areas if needed
• Fusing (join together) the vertebrae along the curve
• Supports fused bones with objects such as steel rods, hooks, and other items attached to the spine.
• Fusion can take a few months to a couple of years to fully heal and get used to, it will only stop growth in the spine.
• Recommended for peoples who 's skeletal growth is FULLY matured.
• Adult’s aren’t usually recommended this option, and children could have some sort of problems after surgery such as uncontrollable bleeding.
How the spine would look after fusion treatment
Picture 1- preparation for fusion
Picture 2- Bone grafts added for fusion of vertebrate.
Treatment: Braces
Another treatment option for scoliosis are braces. These are inexpensive and recommended fo growing children with moderate scoliosis. Although it doesn’t cure scoliosis, it can prevent any further progression which is important to look after in a growing child.
Braces:
• Inexpensive, around $500-2000+ depending on adjustments and extras.
• Must be worn day and night or at least 23 hours a day (to be highly effective)
• Children and Adults can still participate in most activities and have few restrictions.
• Braces are stopped being worn, after the bones stop growing and there are no changes in height • Two types of braces Underarm and Milwaukee brace
• Underarm- “Sticks” to the body, very close-fitting and is not visible under clothes. It fits under the arms and around the rib cage, lower back and hips. Underarm braces aren’t helpful for curves in the upper back (spine).
• Milwaukee- Is a full-torso brace and has a neck ring with rests for the chin and the back of the head. The brace has a flat bar in the front and two flat bars in the back. The size and weight of these is hard to adjust to, it is only used in situations where an underarm brace won 't help.
• People with braces have to get used to and work on their chest mobility, breathing, muscle strength, and flexibility of the spine.
An example of an underar m brace
An example of a
Milwauk
ee brace. Treatment: Natural
Natural Techniques and Therapy: Natural treatment is the cheapest of all treatments and can be done over a long term. It allows time for the body to adjust and straighten itself.
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Aromatherapy- Massages tense muscles using oil helping get rid of tension and contraction. Bodywork- Types of therapy that work to manipulate muscle, connective tissue and joints.
Chiropractic- Corrects any spinal misalignments, and works by adjusting the spine to release any dislocated joints.
Chiropractic also soothes nerve pressure and restores normal muscle function. Sometimes this help reduce scoliosis symptoms or pain.
Acupuncture- The penetration of needles to help energize parts of the body.
Living & Eating Healthy + SupplementsSometimes regular exercise and daily stretching with a balanced healthy diet can cause less stress and improve symptoms. You can use multi vitamin and other supplements such as magnesium to strengthen the body and relax muscles.
Funding: Healthy Living
Prevention Strategies:
• Stretching
• Therapy
• Exercise (Cardio, Controlled weight lifting) • Achieving daily required vitamins and nutrients • Balanced diet (protein, carbs, fat)
• Walking with good posture (straight spine) • Strengthening muscles
• Good attitude, positive outlook
Why I chose this promotion:
• It is natural and the least expensive of all methods
• No risks to increase progress of scoliosis and it’s symptoms
• There are many options to choose from • The body can fight back itself without any help of medicine or surgery • Makes you feel better and live better (overall health increases)
• Better mental health
• Helps in long run to prevent other diseases or injuries
• Improves muscle and bone health
Did you know…………………
Scoliosis Facts:
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10% of children are diagnosed with scoliosis, and of these children, 2-3% will need medical attention in the future
There is no exact cure to scoliosis
Over 80% of scoliosis diagnoses are idiopathic or unknown
Women are four times more likely to get scoliosis than men
Women are also more likely to get some sort of treatment
Scoliosis is common among young athletes such as dancers, gymnasts, and swimmers 96% of children with scoliosis continue to play sports without realizing they even have scoliosis..
You’re 20% more likely to develop scoliosis If someone in your family also has or had it in the past/present
Children who have scoliosis are effected heavily by scoliosis. As they grow, the spine worsens, especially in the teen years.
People who had scoliosis as kids will often experience back pain when entering adultery The End….
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I hope you have learned a lot more about scoliosis. It definitely isn’t the worst of all diseases however it plays a significant role in peoples lives. Always remember to stand straight and tall and live healthy!
Kanye West on scoliosis. Bibliography: References
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<http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/scoliosis>.
8. Deutchman, Gary A. "Scoliosis Affects the Entire Body." Scoliosis Systems. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Nov.
2013. <http://www.scoliosissystems.com/Scoliosis-Affects-the-Entire-Body.html>.
9. "Scoliosis — A Crooked Spine." Natural Healing Perspective. White Tiger Natural Medicine, 19 July
2011. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. <http://nhp.whitetigernaturalmedicine.com/other-conditions/scoliosiscrooked-spine>.
10. Shah, Sukhen A., MD, and Kevin Neal, MD, eds. "Scoliosis." KidsHealth. Nemours, n.d. Web. 7
Nov. 2013. <http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/bone/scolio.html>.
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<http://www.prcstudiocity.com/scoliosis.html>.
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2013