Scoliosis: A Brief Overview

Picture the spine as a slightly curved structure the runs from your neck and all the way down your back. A healthy spine sits straight, supports your weight, absorbs shock, and keeps your balance aligned. In contrast, Scoliosis is when the spine curves incorrectly. This most commonly occurs in the lumbar and thoracic regions. While it is still unknown how the condition develops in younger people, the most common cause for adults is degeneration of the bones and joints. Doctors have been able to trace that a history of Scoliosis in your family makes you more likely to develop the condition, but family history is not always necessary.

Initial symptoms of scoliosis have actually very little pain, if any at all. Instead, early symptoms present as one of the shoulder blades protruding more than the other or a visual uneven-ness of the hips or shoulders. Once the condition advances over the years, pain in the back and spine begin to take over. This is around the time that you may also experience inconsistencies with your breathing as symptoms advance.

The diagnosis process is usually quite simple and straight forward. In young individuals such as children or teenagers, the Adam’s Forward Bending Test is used to determine the shape of the spine and if any ribs or shoulder blades protrude abnormally. If a physician suspects scoliosis, they will order an x-ray to determine the severity and details of the condition. For adults, usually one x-ray will suffice, especially if the patient refers to continuous pain in the back or legs.

When it comes to treating scoliosis, our physicians will build a plan that is catered to each individual. The location and severity, along with the mobility of the patient, are crucial to choosing the correct action for relief and management. Non-surgical treatments may include facet injections, physical therapy, sacroiliac joint injections, medications, and epidural steroid injections. However, in extreme cases, neurosurgery may be beneficial to those with advanced scoliosis when the pain from facet joints, nerve root compression, and general misalignment of the spine become too great to bear. Some procedures for treatment include posterior lumbar fusion, which is used to re-align the spine using rods and screws. Another popular option for scoliosis is the anterior lumbar inter body fusion, which is a wholesome, 360 degree, fusing of both the front and back portions of the spine.