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Scheuermann’s disease, also known as kyphosis, can happen at any age, although it is a rare occurrence at birth. It is a curving of the spine causing a rounding or bowing of the back, eventually leading to a hunchback or slouch-like posture. Its exact cause is unknown.
In adults, Scheuermann’s disease can by caused by arthritis, disk degeneration, or any degenerative issue of the spine. Compression fractures due to osteoporosis are another potential cause, as well as any injury or trauma to the spine. Another contributing factor could be spondylolisthesis in which one vertebra slips forward on another.
Other potential causes of this disease can include endocrine diseases, muscular dystrophy, polio, tumors, spina bifida, connective tissue disorders, and infections, such as tuberculosis. Scheuermann’s can also present with scoliosis (curvature of the spine).
The early symptoms of Scheuermann’s may include difficulty with breathing (usually in the most severe cases), fatigue, tolerable back pain, the appearance of a rounded back, and tenderness and/or stiffness in the spine.
A qualified health care provider can provide an accurate diagnosis to confirm the abnormal curvature of the spine. He or she will also look for any changes in the nervous system below the curve. Such changes may include weakness, paralysis, or even changes in sensation and feeling.
Diagnostic tests may include an X-ray of the spine, certain pulmonary function tests, if breathing is affected, and an MRI, if a tumor, infection, or neurological issues are suspected.
Treating Scheuermann’s disease may require corrective surgery if sustained at an early age. It can also be addressed with a brace and physical therapy. Surgery may be required for large, painful curves, such as those that are greater than 60 degrees.
Any compression fractures from osteoporosis can be left alone provided the nervous system has not been adversely affected. The osteoporosis, however, should be treated to prevent any future fractures.
When Scheuermann’s disease is brought on by an infection or a tumor, then it should be treated far more aggressively, usually with surgical intervention and medications. Treatment for Scheuermann’s is generally determined by the cause, and surgery may be required if any neurological symptoms or persistent pain present.
For adolescents with Scheuermann’s disease, surgery seems to be very effective and the disease usually stops once they stop growing.
As with any treatment or surgical involvement, there exists the risk of complications. In treating Scheuermann’s, the patient may experience decreased lung capacity, significant back pain, weakness in the legs or even paralysis, and possibly round back deformity.
In an effort to abate or slow down this disease, especially in the elderly, it is important to treat and prevent osteoporosis. Early diagnosis and the use of a brace can possibly reduce the need for surgery. However, there is no way to prevent the actual disease.
As with most anything, laughter is always recommended as good medicine. I say this only because my 105-year-old grandmother is a prime example of the rounded or hunch-backed look, which is very “in” this fall season with her! Why? Well, for starters, her hunchbacked frame brings her in much closer to her heaping plate of food as she sits at the dinner table, and as long as she can get closer to “good eating,” all is well with her! There’s always a bright side to everything! Plus, when she is hunched over like that, she stands a greater chance of finding any loose change on the ground that others might overlook! It’s never too late to save for your future!
(Information for this article was found at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001240.htm)
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