The complications of scoliosis

While most people with scoliosis have a mild form of the disorder, scoliosis may sometimes cause complications, including:

Lung and heart damage
In severe scoliosis, the rib cage may press against the lungs and heart, making it more difficult to breathe and harder for the heart to pump. In very severe scoliosis, damage to the lungs and the heart can occur. Anytime breathing is compromised, the risk of lung infections and pneumonia increases.

Back problems
Adults who had scoliosis as children are more likely to have chronic back pain than are people in the general population. Also, people with untreated scoliosis may develop arthritis of the spine.

Different types of curves

Doctors group curves of the spine by their location, shape, pattern, and cause. They use this information to decide how best to treat the scoliosis.

1. Location – To identify a curve's location, doctors find the apex of the curve (the vertebra within the curve that is the most off-center); the location of the apex is the "location" of the curve. A thoracic curve has its apex in the thoracic area (the part of the spine to which the ribs attach). A lumbar curve has its apex in the lower back. A thoracolumbar curve has its apex where the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae join (see "Normal Spine" diagram).

 2. Shape – The curve usually is S- or C-shaped.

 3.Pattern – Curves frequently follow patterns that have been studied in previous patients (see "Curve Patterns" diagram). The larger the curve is, the more likely it will progress (depending on the amount of growth remaining).

A giraffe with scoliosis

I hate to see little kids suffer with scoliosis

What happens if the spine requires surgery?

When a young person exhibits a worsening spinal deformity, surgical treatment may be indicated to improve the deformity and to prevent increasing deformity in the future. The most common surgical procedure is a posterior spinal fusion with instrumentation and bone graft. The term "instrumentation" refers to a variety of devices such as rods, hooks, wires, and screws, which are used to hold the correction of the spine in as normal an alignment as possible while the bone fusion heals. The instrumentation is rarely removed.


A number of factors influence the recommendation for surgery:

1. The area of the spine involved;
2. Severity of the scoliosis;
3. Presence of increased or decreased kyphosis;
4. Pain (rare in adolescents, more common in adults);
5. Growth remaining; and
6. Personal factors.

Operative Considerations
The goal of surgery is to fuse the spine at the optimum degree of safe correction of the deformity. There are always risks that accompany any surgical procedure. These should be discussed with your orthopaedic surgeon. Some important points in planning your surgery are:

1. A comprehensive preoperative conference
2. Donating your own blood (if possible)
3. Good nutritional status before and after surgery
4. Exercise program before and after surgery
5. Positive mental attitude

loving it!!!!!!

What are the different types of treatment

1. Observation- This is for curves that have a small degree measurement when you are growing (adolescent scoliosis), or for moderate size curves (< 40-45 degrees) when you are done growing. For adults, observation and physical therapy are for those patients who have mild symptoms and have curves which are not large.

2. Bracing- This is for curves between 25 and 45 degrees in growing children to prevent further progression of the curve while growth of the spine remains. The goal of bracing is to prevent further progression since the brace cannot correct curves.

3. Surgical Treatment- This reserved for curves which are generally greater than 50 degrees for adolescent patients and adults. Surgery can be performed for smaller curves if the appearance of the curvature is bothersome to the patient or if symptoms are associated with the scoliosis in the adult patient. The goals of surgical treatment are to obtain curve correction and to prevent curve progression. This is generally achieved by placing metal implants onto the spine which are then attached to rods which correct the spine curvature and hold it in the corrected position until fusion, or knitting of the spine elements together.

The signs of scoliosis

1. One shoulder may be higher than the other.

2. One scapula (shoulder blade) may be higher or more prominent than the other.

3. With the arms hanging loosely at the side, there may be more space between the arm and the body on one side.

4. One hip may appear to be higher or more prominent than the other.

5. The head may not be exactly centered over the pelvis.

6. The waist may be flattened on one side; skin creases may be present on one side of the waist.

7. When the patient is examined from the rear and asked to bend forward until the spine is horizontal, one side of the back may appear higher than the other. This test, called the Adams test, is a very sensitive test for scoliosis; it is therefore the most frequent screening test for scoliosis.

Do i have scoliosis?

Determining whether or not you or anyone you know have scoliosis is best done by a physician who will perform a physical examination of your back. The examination is done with you standing in a relaxed position with your arms at your sides. The physician will view you from behind looking for curvature of the spine, shoulder blade asymmetry, waistline asymmetry and any trunk shift. You will then bend forward at the waist and the physician will view your back once again to look for the rotational aspect of the scoliosis in the upper part of the back (rib prominence) or in the lower part of your back (flank or waist prominence). Following this simple examination, the physician will usually initial radiographs of the spine viewed from the back and the side to see the entire spine from the neck to the pelvis. If scoliosis is present, the physician will measure the radiographs and provide you with a numerical value, in degrees, to help describe the scoliosis.

What causes scoliosis

Eighty-five percent of people with scoliosis have the "idiopathic" type. "Idiopathic" means "no known cause." However, the term is not quite accurate, as we actually know quite a bit about the cause and natural history of idiopathic scoliosis. Idiopathic scoliosis frequently runs in families and there is a growing body of evidence that genetics plays a major role. Idiopathic scoliosis may appear at any age but most often appears in early adolescence. At this age, young people are reluctant to allow their bodies to be seen by parents and other adults, and the problem may not be detected until it is quite severe. As a result, the Scoliosis Research Society and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons have endorsed school screening programs to detect scoliosis curves before they may become advanced and more difficult to treat.


 Several less common types of scoliosis have a different cause. These curves may be due to abnormally formed vertebrae already present at birth ("congenital scoliosis"), disorders of the central nervous system such as cerebral palsy, muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophy, or genetic diseases such as Marfan's syndrome or Down syndrome. Scoliosis may also be seen following infections of the spine or fractures involving the spine.

Hey scolio's

The sole purpose of me creating this blog is to bring awareness to those who have scoliosis and are learning to live with it. It's also to make people more knowledgeable about scoliosis, whether they have it, know someone who does, or have kids with it. Its also a place where people can talk about their journey with scoliosis, whether it be mental, emotional, and the obvious physical effects. I know first hand how it feels to have scoliosis. I've dealt with the pain and the insecurities, the hatred of having a curved spine and seeing people with a straight spine. So if anyone have any question please ask and i will be more than happy to respond to the best of my knowledge. We can also, exchange advice on how to handle the pain, or any other non-surgical treatment that has worked.