Scoliosis {sko-lee-oh-sis} a greek word for 'crooked' is a deformity of the spine. It causes the spine to bend in a side to side curve often referred to as a S shape curve. The spinal column twists and rotates creating an uneven shoulders and a rib hump. This can lead to discomfort and even breathing problems as the heart and lungs become compressed.
Causes
The cause of the most common form of scoliosis that develops in childhood is unknown, hence its name - idiopathic scoliosis. Sometimes the child is born with an abnormality of a vertebral bone or spina bifida, which can lead to scoliosis. In a number of cases, scoliosis forms secondary to a different condition, particularly those that cause an imbalance in the muscles, such as muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy. It may also follow problems with the bones or connective tissues, such as neurofibromatosis or Marfan's syndrome.
Symptoms
Scoliosis often starts at about the age of eight but may go unnoticed, especially as it rarely causes problems in the early years. Parents may see an uneven waist or shoulders, particularly prominent shoulder blades or shoulders, elevated hips or leaning to one side.
As scoliosis progresses it may cause back, limb or abdominal pain and may start to restrict breathing as the lung cavity is distorted.
A simple test involving touching your toes will also show a raised hump on your back. Should you feel that you or your child may have scoliosis, please visit your family doctor.
Diagnosis and treatment
A diagnosis should be made by a doctor after a thorough medical examination. The child's back should be examined when they're bent forward (scoliosis due to bad posture will straighten). Treatable causes should be ruled out. An x-ray of the spine will confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment consists of observation, bracing and surgery. If the curvature isn't severe or the child has nearly finished growing, they may simply be checked on a regular basis.
Bracing may be necessary to prevent scoliosis from getting worse - this must be fitted by a specialist. In severe cases, especially if the child is still growing, surgery may be necessary to straighten the spine.
Further help
Scoliosis can get worse in adult life, causing problems with back pain and increasingly obstructing normal breathing. Talk to your doctor if you're worried.
The following is a list of famous people who have scoliosis.
- Rene Russo
- Daryl Hannagh
- Sarah Michelle Gellar
- Princess Eugenie source:Mirror.co.uk
- Cloe Sevigny - Acress (American Psycho)
- Liza Minnelli
- Linda Blair
- Melanie Blatt
- John Lydon
- Michael McCary (Boyz II Men)
- Dame Elizabeth Taylor - Movie star Source:Mirror.co.uk
- Gillian McKeith - TV Presenter - Nutritionist Source:Mirror.co.uk
- Kurt Cobain
Welcome to support4scoliosis
support4scoliosis is a privately run website providing help and support for persons, their friends and family a chance to share their experiences with others for friendship and support, a great place to make new friends. I myself have Scoliosis and details of my condition/treatments can be read on the patient stories.
If you have anything you wish to share that you feel will be of benefit to others then please get in touch.
How to detect Scoliosis
Scoliosis is not preventable but early detection can can increase the chances of successful treatment.
Scoliosis can be detected by looking for the following:
- Uneven shoulders
- Prominent shoulder blades
- Uneven waist
- uneven hips
- Leaning towards one side
A simple test involving touching your toes will also show a raised hump on your back. Should you feel that you or your child may have scoliosis, please visit your family doctor.
Treatment
The treatment for Scoliosis can vary depending on serverity of the curve, however treatments usually consists of either bracing or surgery
The Milwaukee brace is the model for the underarm braces used by physicians today. It was originally designed by Blount and Schmidt in 1946 for postoperative care when surgery required long periods of postoperative immobilization.
The Milwaukee brace was one of the two main types of braces used to treat the lateral curve of the spine in scoliosis. This brace can be worn to correct any curve in the spine
The brace can be custom made or can be made from a pre-fabricated mold. All braces must be selected for the specific curve problem and fitted to each patient. This consited of a plaster/moulded pelvic girdle attached to metal rods extending up tot he shoulders where it attached to what i would describe as a metal structure with a chin support and supports to the back of the head, the brace would be then extended pushing both the head and the pelvis apart straighjtening the spine, along with this was pressure pads that would be fitted the pull the spine to the corrected position.
To have their intended effect (to keep a curve from getting worse), the brace must be worn every day for the full number of hours prescribed by the doctor.Generally almost 24 hours a day, in my case it was 24 hours a day. Most websites will say that the Milwaukee brace was worn upto the development of the Boston brace in the 1970s but i was still wearing my brace up until after the mid 80s.
The other type of brace for scoliosis is called a thoracolumbosacral orthosis (TLSO).
Picture and text courtesy of http://milwaukee.brace.nu/
