Cómo abordar la escoliosis o desplazamiento lateral de la columna
Written by:Scoliosis is a lateral displacement of the spine, which, instead of being seen as a straight line (l), appears as an S when it has a double curve, or a C, if the curve is unique.
According to specialists in Traumatology , in scoliosis, in addition to lateral deviation, the vertebrae appear to be rotated, which usually causes one shoulder to be higher than another, that the shoulder blades are not symmetrical, or that there is a higher hip What other.
Who is affected by scoliosis?
There are scoliosis that affect children and adolescents, being in these cases the most frequent idiopathic scoliosis of the adolescent. It is called idiopathic because its cause is unknown and although it can occur in young children, it usually appears at puberty, around 10 years and until it reaches bone maturity. On the other hand, it is more frequent in girls and are rarely painful, so it is not uncommon for them to go unnoticed.
Other types of scoliosis that affect children, but are much less frequent, are congenital scoliosis and neuromuscular scoliosis.
However, scoliosis also affects adults by degenerative alterations of the elements that make up the vertebral column (vertebrae, discs, ligaments ...), causing adult degenerative scoliosis, which can be painful and progressive.
Diagnosis of scoliosis
Scoliosis is diagnosed, in principle, by clinical examination, which, done correctly by the specialist in Traumatology, already indicates the existence of a deformity of the spine. Before this suspicion, the x-rays of the complete column serve to confirm the existence of the same and measure the degree of deformity.
Treatment of scoliosis
If the curve of the spine is less than 20 degrees, the observation and follow-up to assess the evolution of the curve is indicated.
In curves greater than 20 degrees is treated in adolescents with orthopedic corset with intention that the curve does not worsen.
The curves higher than 45 degrees and worsening the indication is the surgical treatment, being this a habitual treatment nowadays, with great capacity of correction and very good aesthetic and functional results.
