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KYPHOSIS
Kyphosis, also called hunchback, is a common condition of a curvature of the upper (thoracic) spine. It can be the result of degenerative diseases (such as arthritis), developmental problems, osteoporosis with compression fractures of the vertebrae, and/or trauma.
In the sense of a deformity, it is the pathological curving of the spine, where parts of the spinal column lose some or all of their lordotic profile. This causes a bowing of the back, seen as a slouching back and breathing difficulties. Severe cases can cause great discomfort and even lead to death.
There are several kinds of Kyphosis.
Postural kyphosis, the most common type, normally attributed to slouching can occur in both the old and the young.
Scheuermann’s disease is significantly worse cosmetically and can cause pain. A patient suffering from Scheuermann’s kyphosis cannot consciously correct posture. The apex of the curve, located in the thoracic vertebrae, is quite rigid. Fatigue is a very common symptom, most likely because of the intense muscle work that has to be put into standing and/or sitting properly. The condition seems to run in families.
Congenital kyphosis can result in infants whose spinal column has not developed correctly in the womb. A congenital kyphosis can also suddenly appear in teenage years, more commonly in children with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders.
Nutritional kyphosis can result from nutritional deficiencies, especially during childhood, such as vitamin D deficiency (producing rickets) which softens bones and results in curving of the spine and limbs under the child's body weight.
SYMPTOMS OF KYPHOSIS
In the sense of a deformity, it is the pathological curving of the spine, where parts of the spinal column lose some or all of their lordotic profile. This causes a bowing of the back, seen as a slouching back and breathing difficulties. Severe cases can cause great discomfort and even lead to death.
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