SCOLIOSIS

Scoliosis is a spinal condition that affects its alignment and causes the spine to curve to the side. It can affect any part of the spine, but the most common regions are the chest area (thoracic scoliosis) and the lower section of the back (lumbar scoliosis).

The curve may be small, large or somewhere in between. But anything that measures more than 10 degrees is considered scoliosis. A person with scoliosis may lean a little or have shoulders or hips that look uneven.

Pain from scoliosis may also be related to the muscles that are working overtime to compensate for the curve in the spine.

Causes

Causes for most common type of Scoliosis in not known although it may be due to hereditary factors because the disorder tends to run in the family. Less common types of scoliosis may be caused by:

• Neuromuscular conditions, such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy
• Birth defects affecting the development of the bones of the spine
• Injuries to or infections of the spine

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of scoliosis may include:

• Uneven shoulders
• One shoulder blade that appears more prominent than the other
• Uneven waist
• One hip higher than the other

If a scoliosis curve gets worse, the spine will also rotate or twist, in addition to curving side to side. This causes the ribs on one side of the body to stick out farther than on the other side.