Scoliosis

Abnormal Spinal Curvature

Scoliosis (sko-lee-oh-sis) is a term taken from a Greek word meaning curvature. During the 19th Century physicians thought poor posture was the primary cause of scoliosis. Today scoliosis is known to be either congenital (present at birth) or developmental and may be hereditary. The disease causes the spine to curve laterally (to the side) usually in the shape of an "S" or "C". The curve is measured in degrees. Some curves are severe.

Idiopathic Scoliosis (id-dee-oh-path-ick sko-lee-oh-sis) is the childhood version of adult scoliosis. It is hereditary and primarily affects healthy young girls during their early teens. Physical signs may include uneven shoulders, one hip lower than the other, a rib hump when bent over at the waist and leaning to one side. When maturity is reached the disease may stabilize or slowly degenerate over time. In an adult with scoliosis, the curve may have begun to develop during childhood but went unnoticed.

Whatever the patient's age, the goal is to stabilize the spine to prevent additional curvature. Some patients with scoliosis are pain free and do not seek treatment until deformity is noticed. Unfortunately, at that point it may be too late to treat the disease. The size of the curve is measured in degrees on an x-ray. The progression of scoliosis is monitored by periodic x-ray studies. When scoliosis is severe it may cause the spine to rotate, which can cause spinal spacing to narrow on the opposite side of the body.

This article is an excerpt from a book titled Save Your Aching Back and Neck, A Patient's Guide (Second Edition, May 2002, completely revised).