Scoliosis:
Background:
Scoliosis is a condition of abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. This condition is seen most often in the youth and is usually found without an underlying cause, although that is not always the case. When a youth is found with a Scoliotic curve a detailed measurement of the curvature must be done along with an assessment of the maturity of the individual. A curvature of greater than 20 degrees in an individual who is not skeletally mature is a situation that needs to be monitored closely because they can often progress and lead to significant problems. In severe cases the curvature of the spine can lead to compromise of the space needed by the lungs and heart and can have quite dire consequences. Anyone who has a child who has been found to have scoliosis and is not yet skeletally mature needs to have a physician monitor the condition until they reached skeletal maturity. The majority of the cases will not progress to that stage and can be managed conservatively.
Signs and Symptoms:
The average person with scoliosis only complains about minor aches and pains due to the imbalance of the muscles and joints in the back. Occasionally the scoliosis can lead to a disc problem in the spine or physical injury to other elements of the spine.
Treatment:
There currently are not any conservative treatments that can restore the spine from the curvature found, so the goal of conservative treatment is to prevent the curve from progressing, minimizing any associated pains and strengthening the involved muscles to stabilize the spine. Scoliosis treated with Conservative Chiropractic care has been found to be very effective at this, along with monitoring the scoliosis for progression. If you or someone you know is suffering from pains associated with Scoliosis, come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol, without the use of drugs or surgery, that will have you on the road to living pain free today, and making sure you stay pain free.
Kyphosis:
Background:
Kyphosis is a condition characterized by excessive forward curvature of the Thoracic spine. The spine normally has a curve when viewed from the side and in the mid-back the curve would look like a “C”. In Kyphosis sufferers the curve is excessive in nature and puts an abnormal stress on the discs of the spine and the associated musculature. In younger patients suffering from Kyphosis there is often an associated defect of the vertebrae known as Schmorls Nodes.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone who suffers from a Kyphotic Thoracic spine will have a characteristic ‘hump back’ appearance and will often reports having a lot of aches and pains in their spine. Often they will appear that they have ‘bad posture’ and sit in a slumped position. Bad posture and a Kyphosis deformity are different conditions, but they can often lead into each other.
Treatment:
The majority of people suffering from excessive Kyphosis have been shown to respond well to conservative Chiropractic care. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from pain due to excessive Kyphosis, come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol that will have you on the road to living pain free today!
Postural Syndrome:
Background:
“Sit up straight”, “Don’t slump in your seat”, and “walk tall” are all sayings we have heard over and over from our parents. It turns out they weren’t just saying it to pick on us, they was trying to keep us out of pain. To understand why posture is so important in keeping us out of pain we have to understand “normal posture” and why it is so important. Normal posture refers to the position of the body that puts the least amount of stress and strain on the joints, muscles and other physical structures of the body. When you observe someone that has ideal posture from the side, you would be able to drop a line from their ear straight down to the ground, the line should pass through their anterior shoulder, the middle of their hip, the back of their knee and the front of their ankle. Any deviation from this creates abnormal strains on the associated physical structures.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone who is suffering from postural syndrome will have the classic anterior head carriage, forward drawn shoulder and slumped lower back. Sitting for extended periods of time, especially while using computers or kids playing video games has increased the incidence of ‘bad posture’ in today’s society. Mid-Back pain created by the postural syndrome is usually achy in nature and comes on between the shoulder blades when that person is in a bad postural position for an extended period of time.
Treatment:
Conservative Chiropractic care has been found to be extremely effective in helping people with pain due to postural syndrome relieve their pain and reverse their bad postural habits. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from pain brought on by postural syndrome, come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol, without the use of drugs or surgery, that will have you on the road to living pain free today!
Scheurmans Disease:
Background:
Scheurmans disease is a condition most often seen in the young and is characterized by an abnormal formation in the end plates of the vertebrae. To truly understand the disease a little background is necessary. The bones of the spine grow from numerous centers that eventually coalesce to form the fully grown adult vertebrae. One of the centers involves the entire top of the vertebral body, when this portion doesn’t grow correctly it will leave a notch in the plate that represents this abnormal growth. These abnormal formations create problems in the discs which sit between the vertebral bodies and the motion of the vertebral segments involved is often diminished from normal.
Signs and Symptoms:
Someone who suffers from Scheurmans disease may experience pain in the mid-back that can be very random in nature, ranging from intense pain with certain activities to a consistent ache that is not related to any activity, to no pain at all. When Scheurmans disease is found in a person who is not skeletally mature the situation should be monitored, but it most often does not progress and becomes an incidental finding later in life.
Treatment:
If someone is experiencing pain from Scheurmans disease it can be treated effectively with conservative Chiropractic care. If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from pain due to Scheurmans disease come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol, without the use of drugs or surgery, that can get you on the road to living pain free today.
Subluxation:
Background:
A subluxation is a joint in the body that is not moving properly, is “out of place” or is limited form its normal range of motion. These can occur anywhere in the body and can be created by any number of conditions. Subluxations in the mid-back can be brought on by trauma but the more common reason for someone to experience a subluxation in the thoracic spine is due to postural abnormalities.
Signs and Symptoms:
When Subluxations are present and the condition is allowed to remain and progresses to the point that it begins impinging on the nerves associated with the level of the subluxation; pain, numbness and tingling will often be described traveling along the course of the ribs. One of the bigger problems we see with a subluxation is that is decreases the overall range of motion of the involved joint and this decreased range of motion can lead to Arthritis (See Cervical Arthritis discussion) in the future.
Treatment:
Subluxations of the spine are treated with conservative Chiropractic care and they respond extremely well. If you or someone you know is suffering from pain due to a subluxation in the mid-back, come into Absolute Healthcare Chiropractic and have Dr. Gerwig design a customized treatment protocol, without the use of drugs or surgery, that will have you on the road to living pain free today.
DISCLAIMER: No individuals, including those under our active care, should use the information, resources or tools contained within to self-diagnose or self-treat any health-related condition. Diagnosis and treatment of all health conditions should only be performed by your doctor of chiropractic or other licensed health care professional. |
