The human body has a natural curvature in the spine, however it is not natural for the curve to be side to side or lateral. If the curve is lateral and 10 degrees or more, then it is considered scoliosis. Sometimes, only section of the spine is affected, while other times it can extend from region to region. The curvature is a result of a subluxed joint and annulus on the concave side. The curvature plays a significant role in changing the way the spine does its job.
When we see someone bend forward, we see their body move straight down. We see this same motion if the person has a straight spine or a scolioticone. You can imagine that when a person with scoliosis bends, the spine is not moving in the same manner as if the spine was straight. The curved spine must pivot on the subluxed levels and the structures on the opposite side must move more than normal to allow the desired spinal movement.
You might surprised to know that scoliosis not only affects the back, but it comes with some very uncomfortable side effects. Patients have reported headaches and pain in the neck , hips , legs and knees.
The way a patient walks tells me a lot about their condition. Adolescents with scoliosis often have arms that swing less. In addition to the primary effects of scoliosis on posture and gait, especially in more severe cases or when a condition is left untreated to progress into adulthood, the following effects can also be felt. This impact is most often felt during exercise or times of exertion, but in severe cases, it can also be felt during times of rest. This can take the form of chronic pain in the back, neck, and can radiate into the shoulders, arms, hips, legs, and feet.
Radiating pain can become an issue because of the nerves housed in the spinal canal. As the spine is connected to almost every system within the body, a spinal deformity can also impact the functionality of a person's digestive system. A spinal curvature can lead to difficulty digesting and an impairment of bowel function.
While most people can easily balance on one leg with their eyes closed for short periods of time, this is a challenge for people with scoliosis as their proprioception can be affected. Scoliosis is associated with headaches for two main reasons. Firstly, tension headaches can develop due to the tight neck muscles that are trying to stabilize a cervical curvature; secondly, scoliosis is known to disrupt the flow of cerebrospinal fluid CSF , leading to low levels of CSF in the brain, which is known to cause debilitating headaches that can reach migraine status.
When it comes to adults with scoliosis, they experience pain very differently from adolescents with the condition. Once a person reaches skeletal maturity, growth is no longer a factor. Often, adults experience their scoliosis-related pain in areas other than the back, most often the feet, knees, and hips.
These effects are due to the lack of spinal alignment in the lower body. While the average patient is between years of age, many adults suffer from this disease as well. Conditions arising as a result of scoliosis include rib deformity, shortness of breath, digestive problems, chronic fatigue, acute or dull back pain, leg, hip, and knee pain, acute headaches, mood swings, and menstrual disturbances.
Scoliosis is a progressive condition that can continue to progress even after skeletal maturity. Scoliosis is a complex condition that takes many forms and varies from mild to severe. Its symptoms will differ depending upon a number of variables including age, cause, degree of curvature, and its location along the spine. Depending on the location and degree of the spinal curvature, the passage of food through the intestines can become blocked, causing constipation.
Just as every case is different, the symptoms a patient is likely to experience can also differ greatly. As the spine is the primary means by which the brain communicates with the rest of the body and the rest of the body communicates with the brain, spinal disorders can cause a whole host of unexpected symptoms and issues, including impairing the digestive tract and bowel function.
The postural changes that can occur in scoliosis can cause the body to have an unnatural lean to one side, and this can result in the contortion of muscles, the stomach , and organs involved in digestion. The peripheral nerves control muscles and organs, so you can see how this can affect the digestive system in multiple ways.
Additional digestive issues that can be caused by scoliosis are acid reflux, heartburn, stomach pains, constipation, and IBS. Here at the Scoliosis Reduction Center, our approach has proven results. Click here to contact us and to learn more about our proactive and conservative approach to scoliosis treatment.
The Role of the Spinal Cord The spinal cord works in tandem with the brain. Relaying Messages The spinal cord helps the brain talk to various parts of the body and helps those parts communicate with the spinal cord. How the Spine Changes with Scoliosis When a person develops scoliosis, their spine is undergoing a progressive structural change in the form of an abnormal spinal curvature.
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