Scoliosis

Scoliosis

Article Index What is scoliosis? What are the symptoms of scoliosis? Treatment for scoliosis

What is scoliosis?

Scoliosis is considered a deviation greater than 10º (Cobb angle) of 3 axes: kyphosis / lordidos, right or left convexity, and rotation of the vertebra and usually does not present symptoms. There are several classifications according to age groups. It is a diagnosis that occurs with a prevalence of 2% in childhood. Within these classifications there is a scoliosis called "adult" which is not known with certainty what its trigger is and is associated with degenerative juvenile scoliosis, alterations in the axis of the pelvis, neuromuscular diseases, or alterations in bone metabolism. Its diagnosis is one of exclusion and its therapeutic purpose is to prevent its progression by trying to resolve the symptoms that cause discomfort.

What are the symptoms of lumbar scoliosis?

Symptoms when they appear are a consequence of very advanced stages and compression of vital organs or difficulty in breathing, feeding or decubitus ulcers due to the inability to walk. Scoliosis can also give alterations that make us suspect its existence, and they are usually asymmetry of the shoulders or asymmetry of the clothes we wear because one side "is shorter than the other" or we have an "out" scapula. These changes are more evident during development after the onset of puberty and in more than 80% of cases stabilize with conservative treatment. Scoliosis cannot be prevented, so preventive measures are limited to early and timely diagnosis. Scoliosis is almost always diagnosed due to a finding, that is, it was diagnosed by taking an abdominal X-ray for a pain in the gut, a chest X-ray for a picture of respiratory failure, or a simple and simple routine examination for alteration of the growth or trauma during physical activity.

Treatment for scoliosis

To treat scoliosis, it is important to assess the severity of the clinical manifestation. Conservative treatments are useful especially when they occur in progressive or degenerative selected patients and when diagnosing angles less than 35º of Cobb and also in stages of early bone maturation / growth (puberty or even before the end). Scoliosis may require surgical treatment, but it is not the treatment of choice in most cases. In fact, to think about a surgical treatment it is recommended for deviations greater than 45º in Cobb angle, although we must always individualize all cases. In adult scoliosis that are asymptomatic, no treatment except symptomatic is recommended, while in adult scoliosis that is accompanied by chronic and intense pain, as well as central or foraminal canal stenosis or functional disability. The latest scientific evidence concludes that in the event of an adult scoliosis that presents symptoms, continue with conservative treatment without thinking about surgical treatment, although the intensity of the symptoms may decrease in some way. Nowadays, advances and progress in scoliosis corrective surgery have allowed us to offer an improvement in the quality of life with surgical treatment, presenting a recurrence rate of approximately 18%. These cases must be selected precisely, make a correct diagnosis, a good surgery and a collaboration on the part of the patient to work together with physiotherapists, a comprehensive medical team and even an assessment with a nutritionist.

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