What is Scoliosis

It is the presence of abnormal lateral curves and rotations in the spinal column. Scoliosis is more than just a curve of the spine; it's where the spine actually rotates and twists like the stripes on a barber pole. As the spine twists, it pulls the ribs along with it, so that one side of the chest becomes higher than the other, sometimes changing the shape of the breastbone. It may also cause one shoulder to be higher than the other, causing clothes to hang unevenly at the waist, due to one hip being higher than the other. Needless to say, back pain, muscle tightness, fatigue, along with decreased lung capacity and possible neurological symptoms such as dizziness, numbness and tingling soon follow.

Having been studied for decades, there are still no specific links to the cause of scoliosis. It can occur in one person in one family while no one else is affected. It initially develops equally in males and females, but females are more likely to worsen and require further treatment by a ratio of 9 to 1. The onset rarely occurs in adults, rather it results from being undiagnosed from childhood. Finally, it can result simply from a degenerative joint condition in the spine.

Different Types

Idiopathic Scoliosis

Idiopathic is the most common type of scoliosis, constituting 80% of scoliosis cases. There is no known cause although there seems to be a genetic transmission. Idiopathic is subdivided into 3 categories:

  • Infantile Scoliosis: Birth to 3 years old
  • Juvenile Scoliosis: 3 - 10 years old
  • Adolescent Scoliosis: 10 years old to skeletal maturity

Congenital Scoliosis

Congenital is a rare type of scoliosis, often due to failures of formation or segmentation of the spine. People with congenital scoliosis develop lateral spinal curves in infancy.

Neuromuscular Scoliosis

In this type of scoliosis, a lateral curvature of the spine occurs due to muscular weakness or neurological disorders.

Degenerative Scoliosis

Degenerative scoliosis occurs in adults and is due to degeneration of the spine that occurs with aging.

Other Conditions

Non-Scoliosis Spine Conditions

The Scoliosis Center at Medical Center of Plano also treats a variety of non-scoliosis spine conditions such as Kyphosis, Spondyloisthesis and post-traumatic conditions.

  • Kyphosis - Lateral plane type or "round back"
  • Spondylolisthesis - Slippage of one vertebrae relative to another
  • Post Traumatic - (Post-fracture) deformities
  • Deformities related to other conditions, such as infection or tumor