What Causes Scoliosis?
This is a CT scan of a hemivertebra, in which one side of a vertebra fails to form normally.
· Only 3 out of 100 people tend to get scoliosis. Many causes of scoliosis are a case where the person has it from birth defects, it can be obtained from an injury, or it can be caused from muscular disease. However, for most of these cases scoliosis is only a minor problem. Not many people have a severe form of scoliosis, eliminating the need for surgery, but many people have some form of scoliosis. Scoliosis also is known to run in the family, so everyone in the family should also get checked regularly.
There are several types and causes of scoliosis, including:
o Congenital scoliosis- Due to a bone deformity present at birth.
o Neuromuscular scoliosis- A result of defects in muscles or nerves. Often seen in people with spina bifida or cerebral palsy or in those with different conditions that are accompanied by, or result in, paralysis.
o Degenerative scoliosis- This may result from traumatic bone collapse, previous major back surgery, or osteoporosis (thinning of the bones).
o Idiopathic scoliosis- The most common type of scoliosis, idiopathic scoliosis, has no specified cause. There are several theories, but none have been found to be conclusive. There is, however, strong evidence that idiopathic scoliosis is inherited.
In about 80 to 85 percent of people, they have idiopathic scoliosis. Before concluding that a person is diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis, the doctor searches for other possible causes, such as injury or infection. The causes of curves are classified as either nonstructural scoliosis or as structural scoliosis.
• Nonstructural scoliosis-- A structurally normal spine that appears curved. This curve is a temporarily changing curve. It's caused by a difference in leg length, muscle spasms, or inflammatory conditions such as appendicitis. Doctors diagnose this type of scoliosis by correcting the underlying problem.
• Structural scoliosis-- A fixed curve that doctors treat case by case. Sometimes structural scoliosis is one part of a syndrome or disease, such as Marfan's syndrome, an inherited disorder of the connective tissue. In some other cases, it occurs by itself. Structural scoliosis can be caused by neuromuscular diseases (such as cerebral palsy, poliomyelitis, or muscular dystrophy), birth defects (such as hemivertebra, in which one side of a vertebra fails to form normally before birth), injury, certain infections, tumors (such as those caused by neurofibromatosis, a birth defect sometimes associated with benign tumors on the spinal column), metabolic diseases, connective tissue disorders, rheumatic diseases, or unknown factors (such as idiopathic scoliosis).
Children tend to get scoliosis more often. However, out of 1,000 children, only 3 to 5 need treatment. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is the most common and happens after the age of 10 and girls are more likely to have this type of scoliosis, because they are going through their growth spurt. Still, the reason why scoliosis affects girls more than boys is still unknown to doctors. Sometimes children under 10 can get idiopathic scoliosis, and an early onset or infantile idiopathic scoliosis can occur in children less the 3 years old. There is also a juvenile idiopathic occurring child of ages 3 to 10. Doctors usually only have to prescribe a back brace and special exercises to stabilize a moderate spinal curve in young people who are still growing.
To learn more about the causes of scoliosis in infants, juveniles, adolescents and adults, please view the website below:
http://www.srs.org/patients/infantile/
To see what the affects of scoliosis are, click the link labeled "Affects of Scoliosis" seen above or click here.
There are several types and causes of scoliosis, including:
o Congenital scoliosis- Due to a bone deformity present at birth.
o Neuromuscular scoliosis- A result of defects in muscles or nerves. Often seen in people with spina bifida or cerebral palsy or in those with different conditions that are accompanied by, or result in, paralysis.
o Degenerative scoliosis- This may result from traumatic bone collapse, previous major back surgery, or osteoporosis (thinning of the bones).
o Idiopathic scoliosis- The most common type of scoliosis, idiopathic scoliosis, has no specified cause. There are several theories, but none have been found to be conclusive. There is, however, strong evidence that idiopathic scoliosis is inherited.
In about 80 to 85 percent of people, they have idiopathic scoliosis. Before concluding that a person is diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis, the doctor searches for other possible causes, such as injury or infection. The causes of curves are classified as either nonstructural scoliosis or as structural scoliosis.
• Nonstructural scoliosis-- A structurally normal spine that appears curved. This curve is a temporarily changing curve. It's caused by a difference in leg length, muscle spasms, or inflammatory conditions such as appendicitis. Doctors diagnose this type of scoliosis by correcting the underlying problem.
• Structural scoliosis-- A fixed curve that doctors treat case by case. Sometimes structural scoliosis is one part of a syndrome or disease, such as Marfan's syndrome, an inherited disorder of the connective tissue. In some other cases, it occurs by itself. Structural scoliosis can be caused by neuromuscular diseases (such as cerebral palsy, poliomyelitis, or muscular dystrophy), birth defects (such as hemivertebra, in which one side of a vertebra fails to form normally before birth), injury, certain infections, tumors (such as those caused by neurofibromatosis, a birth defect sometimes associated with benign tumors on the spinal column), metabolic diseases, connective tissue disorders, rheumatic diseases, or unknown factors (such as idiopathic scoliosis).
Children tend to get scoliosis more often. However, out of 1,000 children, only 3 to 5 need treatment. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is the most common and happens after the age of 10 and girls are more likely to have this type of scoliosis, because they are going through their growth spurt. Still, the reason why scoliosis affects girls more than boys is still unknown to doctors. Sometimes children under 10 can get idiopathic scoliosis, and an early onset or infantile idiopathic scoliosis can occur in children less the 3 years old. There is also a juvenile idiopathic occurring child of ages 3 to 10. Doctors usually only have to prescribe a back brace and special exercises to stabilize a moderate spinal curve in young people who are still growing.
To learn more about the causes of scoliosis in infants, juveniles, adolescents and adults, please view the website below:
http://www.srs.org/patients/infantile/
To see what the affects of scoliosis are, click the link labeled "Affects of Scoliosis" seen above or click here.
