Adult Scoliosis
Causes
Most cases of adult scoliosis are idiopathic (the cause is not known). Sometimes adult scoliosis is the result of changes in the spine due to aging and degeneration. The causes of adult scoliosis are further categorized into several types.
Idiopathic Curve
Usually there is no clear-cut reason why the spine is curved.
Congenital Curve
Congenital means that you were born with the problem. Many different problems in growth and development can lead to spine problems. Congenital scoliosis may not be recognized or may not be severe enough to require treatment during childhood. Although it is rare, the scoliosis can get worse later in life due to wear and tear around the abnormal area of the spine.
Paralytic Curve
This type of scoliosis is often caused by paralysis from injury to the spinal cord. Paralytic means "the muscles do not work". When the muscles around the spine are not working, the spine may be thrown out of balance and cause a curvature in the spine.
Myopathic Deformity
Myopathic means "the muscles do not work properly". Like paralytic curves, this curve results from a muscular or neuromuscular disease, such as muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, or polio.
Secondary Scoliosis
Developed in adulthood can be "secondary" to other spinal conditions that affect the vertebrae. Other conditions such as degeneration, osteoporosis (loss of bone mass), or osteomalacia (softening of the bones) can cause scoliosis. Scoliosis can also appear following spinal surgery for other conditions. The surgery may cause an imbalance in the spine that leads to scoliosis.
Symptoms
Scoliosis is often painless. Patients with scoliosis commonly see a spine specialist because they notice a problem with the way their back looks. People with scoliosis may notice some of the following things about their body.
- One shoulder or hip may be higher than the other.
- One shoulder blade may be higher and stick out farther than the other.
- These deformities are more noticeable when bending over.
- A "rib hump" may occur, which is a hump on the back that sticks up when bending the spine forward. This occurs because the ribs on one side angle more than on the other side.
- One arm hangs longer than the other because of a tilt in the upper body.
Back pain can eventually develop as the condition progresses. The deformity may cause pressure on the nerves and possibly even on the spinal cord. This can lead to weakness, numbness, and pain in the lower extremities. In severe cases, pressure on the spinal cord may cause loss of coordination in the muscles of the legs-making it difficult to walk normally. If the chest is deformed due to the scoliosis, the lungs and heart may be affected, leading to breathing problems, fatigue, and even heart failure. Fortunately these severe symptoms are rare.
