Adult Scoliosis

Adult scoliosis is a term used to describe scoliosis that occurs in those who are over the age of 18 and out of puberty, this type of scoliosis is not as common as adolescent scoliosis and is often a result of the condition not being diagnosed during childhood.

When your spine is straight and healthy it supports the weight of your head and body and allows you to twist bend and remain upright. When it is not straight it can lead to limited movement in the spine and this could lead to pain, limit your daily activities, and it can make it harder for you to breathe as your lungs and heart are compressed.

If you were to look at the spine from the back it should be straight, but for those who suffer from scoliosis, they have spines that look more like an S or C shape. This can be treated by leading spine surgeon in Chennai. Do visit them right away.

The causes of this condition, and the available treatments for adults who suffer from scoliosis, can be very different then what is seen or used in younger patients who are still in the process of growing.

Causes of adult scoliosis may be:

• Adults who had this condition as adolescent and where operated on but the surgery as proven to not be successful

• Adults who had this condition as adolescent and at the time did not require treatment, but now their scoliosis has worsened and is causing them pain

• Adults with a neuromuscular condition such as muscular dystrophy

• Adults with osteoporosis or degeneration of the structures of the spine

• Adults who have had an injury or accident that has damaged the spine

Adult scoliosis oftentimes presents itself first as back pain, the longer this condition progresses the more apparent the curvature would become. This pain would be at or below where the curving begins and may be accompanied by nerve compression that would cause pain, weakness, numbness or tingling down the leg or legs. This nerve damage is often what brings a patient into the doctors office.

Other symptoms of scoliosis are:

• You may have uneven shoulders or one of your shoulders may be more pronounced then the other

• Your ribs may protrude out or/and be at different angles

• One hip may appear to be higher than the other one

• It may start getting harder for you to breath as it becomes difficult for your lungs and heart to work properly

• As your curvature worsens you may begin to notice your spine rotate or twist as well as curve side to side in an S pattern or to one side in a C pattern.

• You may start to look shorter, it is not unknown for patients to gain a few inches after spinal straightening surgery is done

• You may notice a change in the appearance of the skin on your spine such as dimples, hairy patches and color changes.

• You may also notice yourself leaning to one side of your body

Various Back Pain Causes

 Back pain causes a lot of inconvenience and hindrance to the normal lifestyle of a person. There are a number of back pain causes, but the two most common causes related to discs are disc injury and degenerative disc. Check some of the common causes for back pain explained by neurosurgeon in Chennai.

Disc degeneration leads to water content loss that narrows the gap between two vertebrae. This can cause pinching of a nerve and subsequent pain. Bulging discs are generally confused with ruptured discs. While the former condition is normal, the later condition can be serious. Discs may bulge during the day as they carry the body weight, and get back to normal at night when we sleep. Ruptured discs are damaged discs caused by leakage of jelly like substance called nucleus pulposus.

Back Pain Causes - The Middle Back

Among the back pain causes, mid-back pain can be caused by poor posturing or sitting in one position for a long time. A poorly designed chair can also lead to mid-back pain. At the ethereal level, stress, and emotional worries can cause muscle stiffness that leads to pain in the back. Most back pain cases can be attributed to emotional imbalance.

If your pain in the back is started by normal movements like bending or twisting, it could be a result of a slipped disc or a joint problem of the spine. It could also be because of muscle pull in the back. Muscular pain is among the common back pain causes, which can occur while attempting to carry a heavy weight. 

Pain that is constant around the chest or mid back area could be the result of a fractured rib. The reason could be an injury or long set osteoporosis, which weakens the bones. Kidney infections can also cause pain in the mid-back. The symptoms are pain and discomfort during passing of urine.

One of the common back pain causes is stomach ulcer. Pain occurs in the mid-back that is accentuated after a meal. Strenuous exercise can also cause pain due to injury to the back muscles.

Your back plays a vital role in mobility and needs care and attention through exercise and proper diet.

Spine Surgery: Orthopaedic Surgeon or Neurosurgeon?

In the event that you require spinal surgery to cure your injured back, the first and most important decision you have to make is to choose between an orthopaedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon. The choice of the right surgeon is extremely important and you have to consider factors such as the experience and success rate of the surgeon. So how different are these 2 doctors?

You will first need to understand that both are able to carry out spine surgery. In the past, neurosurgeons were the only ones that could qualify to perform spine surgery. With the evolution in medical techniques, orthopaedic surgeons are well equipped with the knowledge and skills to carry out spine surgeries for patients as well.

Neurosurgeons are medically trained doctors who have completed at least a 4 to 7 years worth of gruelling neurosurgery residency. Neurosurgeons specialise in disorders affecting the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord and nerves. There is however one distinct part that sets them apart from orthopaedic surgeons. Neurosurgeons are the only people who are able to perform surgery that is inside the dura mater of the spine. If the patient has a tumour in the spinal cord, cysts or spinal cord malfunction, only a neurosurgeon is able to perform the surgery for him.

Orthopaedic surgeons on the other hand are medically trained doctors who have completed a 5 years surgical residency focusing on musculoskeletal disorders such as the bones and joints. Most orthopaedic doctors focus on sports injuries and bone disorders. Some orthopaedic surgeons will choose to focus on spinal injuries and they will have to spend additional few years of their time to complete fellowship training on the spine. Other than the few specialised surgeries that only a neurosurgeon can carry out, orthopaedic doctors are able to carry out other spinal surgeries.

When choosing a surgeon to perform spinal surgery for you, the main question is not to decide on whether an orthopaedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon since both are equally adept to perform the surgery. Instead, you should be asking what is his specialisation. Some are specialised in cervical spine surgeries while some are inclined to lumbar disorders. The important questions you would want to ask is how many similar surgeries have they performed to date and what are the success rates. Spinal surgery being a major surgery, you would want a very experienced surgeon to perform it on you.