Different types of scoliosis

There are four different types of curve as you can see thoracic, lumbar, thoracolumbar, and double


• Thoracic curves develops in the upper back

• Lumbar curves develops in the lower back

• Thoracolumbar curves are the area between the upper back and lower back

• Double major curves are made up of two curves with nearly equal angles; it makes the spine look like an “S”

Anatomy of the spine

In order to better understand any abnormalities in the spine, I found it easy for me to learn and understand some of the basic spinal anatomy. The human spine is divided into three portions: the cervical spine (neck area), the thoracic spine (upper back) and the lumbar spine (lower back). The spine itself is made up of bones, joints, discs, nerve structures, spinal cord, muscles and ligaments that all work together to allow for movement and support for the body.


The spinal column is made up of twenty-four individual bones called vertebrae. Each vertebra in the spinal column consists of the vertebral body in the front, the facet joints in the back and the pedicles, which join the vertebral bodies to the facet joints. Vertebrae provide support for the spine and are connected by intervertebral discs. Intervertebral discs are composed of strong tissue masses that are filled with gel, and they allow the torso to bend, twist and absorb shock. There are seven cervical vertebrae, twelve thoracic vertebrae and five lumbar vertebrae.
The vertebrae in the cervical spine begin at the base of the head. In this area there are eight pairs of cervical nerves, which control movement in the neck, arms and upper body. The cervical vertebrae are strong and tough in order to support the weight of the head.


The thoracic spine contains twelve vertebrae and twelve pairs of ribs. The nerve roots in this area are responsible for movement in the midsection of the body. The ribs provide the structure for the chest wall and protect many important internal organs.


The largest and strongest bones in the spinal column are the lumbar vertebrae. The lumbar portion of the spine supports the bulk of the body's weight. The five pairs of nerve roots located in the lumbar spine are responsible for movement and sensory functions in the lower extremities of the body.


At the lower portion of the spinal column are two other spinal bones: the sacrum and the coccyx, or tailbone. The sacrum consists of five bones naturally fused together, and the coccyx consists of four small attached bones. These bones look different than any other bones in the spine. The sacrum is triangular in shape and the coccyx is attached to the lower end of this triangle. The nerve roots in this area control the pelvic organs and buttock muscles.

The signs of Scoliosis

There are several different signs to look for to help determine if you or someone you love has scoliosis. The entire body appears to be leaning to one side, Shoulders are different heights, one shoulder blade is more high up than the other, head is not centered directly above the pelvis, appearance of a raised prominent hip, rib cages are at different heights, uneven waist, changes in look or texture of skin overlaying the spine such as dimples, hairy patches, and color changes. When seen by the doctor there is a standard exam that doctors use and it’s called the Adam’s Forward Bend Test. For the test, patients will be asked to lean forward with his or her feet together and bend 90 degrees at the waist. The doctor can then see from this angle any abnormal spinal curvatures, but you cannot determine accurately the exact severity of the deformity. Once the doctor confirms that the patient has scoliosis with an x-ray, CT scan, or MRI. The curve is then measured by the Cobb Method and is discussed in terms of degrees. A curve is considered significant if it is greater than 25 to 30 degrees. Curves exceeding 45 to 50 degrees are considered severe and often require more aggressive treatment.

What is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is not a disease—it is a descriptive term.

Scoliosis affects 2% of women, 0.5% of men in the general population and over 80% of scoliosis cases, however, are idiopathic. All spines have curves. Some curvature in the neck, upper trunk and lower trunk is normal. We need these spinal curves to help the upper body maintain proper balance and alignment over the pelvis. However, when there are abnormal side-to-side (lateral) curves in the spinal column, we refer to this as scoliosis. On an x-ray, the spine of an individual with a typical scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a "C" than a straight line. It is typically classified as Congenital, Idiopathic and Neuromuscular.

Congenital scoliosis is caused by vertebral abnormalities that are present at birth; the curvature may not be noticed for several months to several years, depending on the severity of the bone deformity and growth abnormality. Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common type of scoliosis. The word idiopathic means “cause unknown”. Idiopathic scoliosis is broken down into four categories based on age: (1) infantile: children ages 3 and under, (2) juvenile: 3-9 years old, (3) adolescent: 10-18 years old, and (4) adult: after skeletal maturity. It is partially hereditary although it is not necessarily passed to each generation. This does mean that if scoliosis is present in the family, children should be checked for it. Scoliosis is most common during the adolescent growth spurt but can occur in younger ages. Neuromuscular Scoliosis is the curvature of the spine with a disorder of the neurological system such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or muscular dystrophy or spinal cord injuries. The curvature of the spine is progressive, and worsens during growth spurts. Many patients require a wheelchair due to other neurological conditions. As the trunk muscles weaken, the spine collapses into a C shaped curve making it difficult for the patient to sit upright. Progressive curves may affect the child's ability to be seated comfortably, thereby affecting their quality of life and function.

My goal with this blog is to be able to educate people who aren’t aware of scoliosis and how people are affected by it. I also want to make other young women, and men, feel like they’re not alone and they can have a place where they can talk and feel comfortable talking to people in the same situation. Growing up with scoliosis I never had anyone to talk to about it and I had to deal with the emotional and physical problems that came with it.

SORRY FOR THE DELAY

TO EVERYONE IM SORRY FOR THE DELAY OF MY BLOG I HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON AND IM TRYNA ORGANIZE EVERYTHING TO DISPLAY ON MY BLOGS SO BE PATIENT AND BEAR WITH ME CUZ IT WILL BE UP AND RUNNING BEFORE THE WEEKEND...THANK YOU