3 Signs Your Spine is Deformed And How To Identify Them
Your backbone, or spine, is made up of many small vertebrae, or bones that are stacked on top of one another. In between those vertebra are soft cushioning discs that allow the spine to flex. When you view the body from the side, a healthy spine has a gentle curvature to it. That curve is vital for absorbing stress from when the body moves as well as gravity. If you view the spine from the back, a healthy spine will run straight down the center. When different abnormalities of the spine are present, that natural curvature become misaligned or exaggerated in different areas.
What Are the Most Common Curvature Disorders?
According to the American Spinal Institute, the tree most common curvature disorders are kyphosis, lordosis, and scoliosis. Each disorder of the spine appears different, and each has different identifying signs your spine is deformed. In the following sections we will discuss what causes these three spinal disorders and what are the symptoms that they are present.
1. Understanding the Causes and Symptoms of Kyphosis
According to the North American Spine Society, kyphosis is defined when an abnormally large rounded upper back is present. Usually when a person suffers from this spinal disorder there will be a curvature in the spine that is more that 50 degrees in the upper back.
There are many different things that can cause kyphosis, some of which are hereditary and others the result of poor habits. This disorder can be a result of simply slouching at the desk for extended periods of time or poor posture in general. Congenital Kyphosis is when the utero has abnormal vertebrae development. The disorder can also be a result of arthritis, osteoporosis, Scheuermann’s disease, or spina bifida. The Mayo clinic mentions this disorder can also be a result of the development of spine tumors or infections.
The symptoms of kyphosis are quite easy to identify visually. Looking from the side, there will be a significant bending forward of the head when compared to the rest of that body. Again, looking from the side, there will be a very noticeable curve or hump in the upper back region. This person will experience significant fatigue in their legs or back. Although the person does not feel significant back pain as a result of postural kyphosis, standing for long periods of time or strenuous physical activities can lead to degrees of discomfort.
2. Understanding the Causes and Symptoms of Lordosis
The American Spinal Institute classifies lordosis, also known as swayback, as a spinal disorder where the lower portion of the spine curves inward significantly. There are quite a number of different health related problems that can lead to this spine disorder.
When the lower region of the back is misaligned or curves more than normal, it may be due in part to being overweight. That excess weight causes the spine to become off balanced, and the heavier person gets, the more strain and stress on the back. The lordosis can be a result of achondroplasia, a spine disorder where the bones do not grow normally, causing short stature that can be associated with dwarfism. Spondylolisthesis is a condition where the vertebrae in the lower back slip forward. When the bones are fragile from osteoporosis, or there is an inflammation of the spinal discs, the result could be lordosis.
The symptoms of lordosis are quite unique to this spine disorder. If you suffer from osteoporosis, the vertebrae in the back become fragile and can break, resulting in a compression fracture and the swayback in the back becoming more pronounced. The buttocks in this case will protrude much further than the rest of the back. When the person lies flat on the floor, there will be a noticeable gap between the floor and their lower back. Even if the person bends forward, that it does not change the large gap. The person suffering from lordosis will certainly experience different degrees of back discomfort and pain. This person will have difficulties being able to move their body in certain ways because their mobility is limited.
3. Understanding the Causes and Symptoms of Scoliosis
Of all the back disorders a person can experience, scoliosis is one of the more difficult to determine the causes. According to research at the American Spinal Institute, the person who has scoliosis will have a very obvious sideways curve to their spine.
The causes of scoliosis can be very problematic for doctors because they simply can not pinpoint what triggers the spine to twist in this manner. The curve in the back when observed standing behind the patient will resemble the letter C or S. Although physicians have difficulty determining the cause of scoliosis in adults, they do know that it tends to run in the family. Lesser common types of the scoliosis may be caused by birth defects that have an impact on the development of the bones in the spine. Infections and injuries could cause the spine to twist, as well as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy.
The symptoms of scoliosis tend to be more exaggerated than those of the other spine disorders. If the patient is standing in front of you, you will easily notice that the shoulder blades are uneven and one is considerably higher than the other. Again, looking at the back of this person from behind, their hips and waist will also be uneven. This person will tend to lean to one side over the other, even when they are walking.
Now that you better understand how to identify the signs your spine is deformed, the next concern is how soon should you contact a physician. If you noticed the bend in the spine or you had the person lie flat on a solid surface and saw that large gap in the lower back region, it is time to see a doctor. The ideal time to bring this to the attention of a physician is when it is detected in a child, but many time the disorder does not begin appearing until this person has become an adult. Many times the disorder can go unnoticed because it generally does not cause pain, so it is important to have the back looked at regularly to spot those tell-tales signs.
Originally published by FitHog: http://fithog.com/3-signs-your-spine-is-deformed-and-how-to-identify-them/