Spinal deformities can lead to physical problems such as impaired posture and gait, as well as health problems that have extremely serious, life-threatening effects on a person. In order for these types of diseases, also called spinal deformity in medicine, to be treated correctly, it is necessary to fully understand the deformity with various imaging and measurement methods. About 80% of structural deformities are caused by spinal curvature, known as scoliosis. The scoliosis table may not be noticed for many years depending on the degree of curvature, and it may cause the need for emergency intervention by putting pressure on the lungs. If the disease is detected late, growth and development retardation occurs along with various health problems, especially in childhood. For this reason, having sufficient information about scoliosis, being able to notice the signs and symptoms at an early stage is extremely important for the course of the disease.
Ingredients
What is Scoliosis (Curvature of the Spine)?
Is Idiopathic Scoliosis Congenital?
How Often Is Scoliosis Seen in Children?
What Causes Scoliosis?
What are the Symptoms of Scoliosis?
How Is Scoliosis Treated?
Is Scoliosis Surgery Preferable for Children?
Spinal Strengthening in Scoliosis
What Are Scoliosis Exercises?
Corset Treatment in Scoliosis
How Many Days Is Recovery Achieved After Scoliosis Surgery?
What is Scoliosis (Curvature of the Spine)?
Scoliosis is a three-dimensional spinal deformity that is the most common among spinal deformities and causes extremely serious posture disorders in the later stages. This deformity may occur due to a structural disorder of the spine, or it may also develop due to non-spinal causes. Non-structural scoliosis usually partially resolves over time or becomes unnoticeable when the main cause of scoliosis disappears. Structural scoliosis, on the other hand, often occurs idiopathically, but neuromuscular diseases, connective tissue disorders, infectious or neoplastic conditions, neurofibromatosis, degenerative and rheumatic diseases, metabolic disorders and various traumatic effects can also lead to structural curvature of the spine.
Is Idiopathic Scoliosis Congenital?
Scoliosis tables in which the factor causing structural curvature of the spine is unknown are called idiopathic scoliosis, and approximately 80% of all scolioses are included in this group. This complex spinal pathology, which is thought to occur due to more than one factor during the rapid growth period of childhood, usually proceeds painlessly, asymptomatic. Therefore, it is quite difficult to notice. Acute or chronic back and lower back pain occurs in conditions that progress without diagnosis at an early stage and cannot be treated, heart and lung function deteriorate, physical movement restrictions are observed. The risk of depression increases due to a cosmetic defect, and a person's quality of life is greatly impaired. In severe curvatures, the risk of sudden death is high.
How Often Is Scoliosis Seen in Children?
Idiopathic scoliosis is usually classified into 4 different groups as infantile (0-3 years), juvenile (3-10 years), adolescent (10-18 years) and adult (18 years and older) scoliosis according to the age at which the curvature is noticed. Infantile scoliosis is extremely rare at a rate of 1%, while the incidence of juvenile scoliosis is around 11-16%. Adolescent scoliosis, which occurs at an age close to adolescence and is also called late-onset scoliosis, is responsible for about 90% of all scoliosis tables.
What Causes Scoliosis?
The cause of the occurrence of idiopathic scoliosis, which occurs in 2 to 4 out of every 100 healthy children, has not been fully explained. But some factors associated with the occurrence of the disease can be listed as follows:
Functioning of structural elements in the spine
The way neuromuscular structures work
The presence of certain diseases, such as posterior colon dysfunction
Hormonal elements
Biomechanical factors
Congenital characteristics such as gender, developmental characteristics, genetic predisposition
Vitamin D deficiency
Unhealthy eating habits
Socioeconomic status
Working from jobs that require asymmetric loading on the spine
What are the Symptoms of Scoliosis?
Scoliosis begins extremely insidiously and can progress without any symptoms for a long period of time. Usually, pain is not observed, and the vast majority of cases are noticed by chance on radiographs taken for other reasons. November November 2019, however, severe low back pain may occur as a result of some physical activities in people who experience loss of flexibility in the hamstring muscles, decreased bending capacity of the spine, weakness in the abdominal and back muscles. However, considering the relationship of the spine with the rib cage, people with serious complaints of curvature experience signs of superficial inhalation and frequent respiratory tract infections due to a decrease in chest compliance. Progressive and untreated cases should be known to increase a person's depressive mood and predisposition to various mental illnesses, and spinal curvatures over 90° are associated with sudden death syndrome.
How Is Scoliosis Treated?
Early diagnosis is the first step in the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis. With early diagnosis, it is aimed to prevent the progression of curvature, especially during adolescence, to turn the spine back at the optimal angle if possible, and thus to provide improvement both aesthetically and in the way of posture. The purpose of advanced stage scoliosis treatments is primarily to relieve the complaint of pain arising in the spine, to improve the accompanying physical problems and to correct the impairments in respiratory function.
Is Scoliosis Surgery Preferable for Children?
When planning treatment, many factors such as a person's age, gender, the presence of concomitant diseases, the degree of spinal curvature, the direction, type of curvature and the risk of progression of scoliosis are taken into account. Apart from surgical treatment, conservative treatment methods such as the use of corsets and specific exercise practices for scoliosis are preferred. However, in order to prevent the development of serious spinal injuries, each patient should be evaluated specifically and the healing methods to be applied should be determined individually according to the clinical characteristics of the patient.
Spinal Strengthening in Scoliosis
Exercises developed for scoliosis are one of the conservative treatment methods used to strengthen the spine and stop the progression of curvature. The most commonly preferred technique is a three-dimensional exercise technique called the Schroth Method, which corrects posture by eliminating the asymmetric load distribution of the body. November 2017, thanks to these advanced exercise practices, which are specific to each individual, planned in accordance with the curvature of the spine and supported by various breathing techniques, the flexibility of the muscles in the affected area is increased, while muscle strength, balance level, mobility and the general coordination level of the body are supported. November 2017, muscle strength, balance level, mobility and general coordination level of the body are supported.
What Are Scoliosis Exercises?
Scoliosis exercises should be performed from the initial level together with therapists who know the Schroth technique and have mastered specific scoliosis-related exercise practices. When making exercise planning, the direction of spinal curvature and the current treatment phase are taken into account. In order to correct the curvature of the spine with the Schroth method, certain exercises should be repeated at regular intervals in accordance with December's personal plan. Therefore, the patient should take care to work in harmony with the therapist from the initial level; in order to increase the success of treatment, he must strictly follow the exercise plan.
Corset Treatment in Scoliosis
However, the use of a corset is also one of the frequently preferred methods for the treatment of scoliosis. Stabilization and mobilization exercises of 35-40 minutes a day performed together with the corset increase the effectiveness of the corset and have a healing effect on spinal deformity. In addition, the use of corsets, supported by regular exercise practices, greatly reduces the need for surgical intervention in the treatment of scoliosis. It helps to control postoperative pain and support spinal function.
How Many Days Is Recovery Achieved After Scoliosis Surgery?
Surgical treatment method is preferred for scoliosis tables that continue to progress despite conservative treatment methods such as exercise and corset and whose spine curvature level is above 45°-50°. Close monitoring is required for a certain period of time after scoliosis surgery, which is one of the extremely serious operations. While it takes 3-4 weeks for a person to return to daily living activities after surgery, it becomes possible to perform all kinds of physical activities within 3-6 months after the operation. Although extremely successful scoliosis surgeries are being performed today, various complications such as paraplegia, increased kyphosis, pseudoarthrosis, late onset pain complaint, overcorrection, straight back syndrome, increased deformity, infection and rotation-related deformity may occur due to scoliosis surgery.
In order to minimize such complications related to surgery, be careful to choose experienced physicians and surgically equipped health centers in the field. You can apply to Brain and Neurosurgery units to get detailed general information about scoliosis treatment. For the treatment of scoliosis that starts in your children, you can get information and appointments from the departments of Pediatric Neurology and Pediatric Orthopedics.