Your spine is home to a complex stack of vertebrae and discs that are designed to help provide flexibility and keep you upright as you move. Over time, these discs and vertebrae can slowly shift out of their normal alignment as a result of injury, natural degeneration or another underlying condition, and this can lead to what’s known as a spinal deformity. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at three different types of spinal deformities, and we explain how Dr. Jackman can help address these common spinal malformations.
Three Types Of Spinal Deformities
Spinal deformities can affect patients both young and old. Younger patients are susceptible to spinal curvature disorders when their spine is developing and growing, while older individuals are at risk as a result of all the wear and tear their spine has endured over the years. If you look in the mirror and notice that your posture appears hunched or your spine misaligned, consider reaching out to your primary care physician or a spine specialist. They’ll provide an examination to look for the three most common types of spinal curvature disorders, which are:
- Scoliosis – Scoliosis is a sideways curvature disorder that can be seen when viewing the spine from the front or the back. While it tends to be more common in teens and children, it can also develop in adults as a result of degenerative disc disease or other underlying health conditions like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy.
- Kyphosis – Kyphosis is a spinal deformity characterized by the forward rounding of the upper back. This is much more common in older individuals and tends to occur as a result of spinal bone thinning and weakness. Oftentimes this gives the person a hunched back appearance, and while it may not be painful at the outset, the condition and its symptoms typically gets worse unless treated.
- Lordosis – The final spinal curvature disorder that we’ll spotlight is lordosis. In contrast to kyphosis, this curvature deformity typically affects the lower part of your spine, causing it to curve inward instead of outward. However, lordosis can also develop in your neck region, causing the soft tissues in your neck to work much harder to support the area.
Fortunately, all of these spinal curvature disorders tend to respond well to treatment, especially when they are identified early. The sooner you begin to treat a spinal deformity, the greater the chance of treatment success, symptom alleviation and prevention of malformation progression.
Oftentimes mild to moderate spinal curvature disorders can be treated successfully with non-operative treatments. Bracing and physical therapy to strengthen supportive structures are two very effective courses of treatment, and paired with regular observation, that may be all you need to protect the health and curvature of your spine. For more serious cases, a minimally invasive procedure to address the spine and artificially strengthen a weakened or shifted section can provide immense symptom relief. Your surgeon can talk to you about your options in the event your condition has progressed to this point.
So if you are noticing that your spine seems misaligned or misshapen, or you’re noticing these conditions in an older parent or younger child, consider setting up an appointment with a spine specialist. We can help figure out exactly what’s going on and develop an individualized care plan for your needs. For more information, or for help with a different spinal issue, reach out to Dr. Jackman and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
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