In being more aware of your spinal health you may have heard some medical terms that you aren’t quite sure of what they are. Either yourself or someone you know will have been diagnosed with scoliosis, kyphosis or a herniated (slipped) disc, but what do these terms mean? And how can being at Spine help?
Let’s discuss each briefly in turn…..
What is Scoliosis?
A healthy spine has four smooth curves front to back, but when looked at from behind the spine appears straight. Scoliosis is a structural change in the shape of the spine, whereby the spine has a lateral (sideways) curve. Scoliosis can occur anywhere on the spine and the curve can be either side.
The spinal column then becomes curved and twisted, which can affect the placement and appearance of other bones such as the rib cage, shoulder blades and pelvis causing the visual symptoms of scoliosis. Over time the curvature can worsen and affect the organs contained within cavities of the body, such as the lungs in the rib cage.
As your spine houses your spinal cord, any twist or curvature can interfere with nerve messages between your body and your brain. Therefore the effect of scoliosis can be vast from musculoskeletal pain to affecting bodily functions/processes.
How do I know if I have scoliosis?
You may be able to see visually if you have scoliosis;
- Shoulders are uneven
- One shoulder blade is more prominent/visible
- One hip is higher than the other
- One side of the rib cage is higher than the other
You may also experience pain within the body.
Mild scoliosis may present no symptoms, which is why it is important to have spinal health checks for the prevention of structural changes.
How can Spine help those with Scoliosis?
Here at Spine we address any misalignments within the body to restore correct alignment and function of the body, allowing your body to function uninterrupted. Any twists or curves within the spine are treated before they progress, which is why early detection and proactive management are key when it comes to scoliosis.
If you, or your family would like a posture check our Practitioners can assess and provide tailored recommendations for managing you or your family’s spinal health.
Hyper-Kyphosis
What is Hyper-Kyphosis?
As discussed above a healthy spine has four smooth curves. Kyphosis is a curve to the front of the body, a Hyper-Kyphosis is an exaggerated anterior curve in the thoracic spine (exaggerated curve in the upper spine) giving an individual a visible hump – often referred to as Dowager’s hump.
Hyper-Kyphosis is most often caused by poor posture and although previously associated with the older population (as bone density decreases) it’s becoming more apparent in the younger generations due to excessive smartphone use and poor ergonomics from working from home. Slouching and hunching forward with your head stretched beyond the shoulders can pull your vertebrae out of alignment and through time can cause Hyper-kyphosis.
Hyper-Kyphosis can cause stress on the spinal cord (through the exaggerated curve), which means along with the expected musculoskeletal pain from the loss of structure to maintain the head above the shoulders, it can also cause nerve pain and headaches.
How do I know if I have Hyper-Kyphosis?
Visually, you may be able to see a hump at the top of your spine.
Other symptoms may be:
- Neck Pain
- Headaches
- Breathing difficulties
- Loss of motion
- Difficulty looking upward or straight ahead ie when driving
How can Spine help with Hyper-Kyphosis?
The exaggerated curvature of kyphosis often means that your body will have to compensate to be able to hold your head up, causing pain and tension throughout your muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons. Here at Spine we address misalignments within the body to restore correct posture and allow your body to be stable with even weight bearing.
Herniated ‘slipped Disc
What are intervertebral discs?
There is an intervertebral disc between each vertebrae (except the first two), which act as shock absorbers and provide flexibility (allowing the vertebrae to have movement).
What is a herniated/ ‘slipped’ disc’?
These discs don’t ‘slip’ out of place as the name suggests, instead they bulge, rupture or herniate.
Your discs are made up of a tough outer layer (annulus fibrosis) and a soft jelly center (nucleus pulposus). When your spinal column has misalignments, unbalanced/excessive stress can be placed onto specific discs instead of being distributed throughout the spinal column. This stress can weaken the outer layer of the disc and eventually cause the inner jelly to bulge, herniate or even rupture out. Your spinal column protects your spinal cord and allows the peripheral nerves to extend into the body and send messages back through the spinal cord to the brain. As these nerves are close to your vertebrae any bulging of the vertebral discs can compress on a nerve causing pain, numbness and even affected bodily functions (most commonly bladder control).
A herniated disc can occur within any disc of the spine, but due to increased weight bearing the lower back is the most common.
How do I know if I have a herniated disc?
Symptoms include;
- Pain and numbness on one side of the body
- Pain that extends beyond the affected area (e.g. to your arms or legs)
- Pain that worsens with certain movements
- Numbness and or tingling
- Restriction in daily activities or sports activities
Can chiropractic help?
Poor posture can place extra pressure/stress on certain vertebrae and can result in spinal misalignments. These misalignments, when not addressed, can place undue pressure on the intervertebral discs causing herniation or rupture. Therefore it is very important to have regular adjustments to keep your spine aligned and stable with even weight bearing and stress throughout the spinal column.
References
- Grassi, J (2019) Chiropractic Care and Back Pain: Non-Invasive Treatment for Bulging, Ruptured, or Herniated Discs (Slipped Discs). Available: https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/herniated-disc/chiropractic-care-back-pain-non-invasive-treatment-bulging-ruptured-or
- Fortner MO, Oakley PA, Harrison DE. Treating ‘slouchy’ (hyperkyphosis) posture with chiropractic biophysics®: a case report utilizing a multimodal mirror image® rehabilitation program. J Phys Ther Sci. 2017 Aug;29(8):1475-1480. doi: 10.1589/jpts.29.1475. Epub 2017 Aug 10. PMID: 28878486; PMCID: PMC5574330.
- Jaeger JO, Oakley PA, Colloca CJ, et al.: Non-surgical reduction of thoracic hyper-kyphosis in a 24-year old music teacher utilizing chiropractic BioPhysics® technique. Br J Med Med Res, 2016, 11: 1–9. [Google Scholar]
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- Trager RJ, Daniels CJ, Perez JA, Casselberry RM, Dusek JA. Association between chiropractic spinal manipulation and lumbar discectomy in adults with lumbar disc herniation and radiculopathy: retrospective cohort study using United States’ data. BMJ Open. 2022 Dec 16;12(12):e068262. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-068262. PMID: 36526306; PMCID: PMC9764600.
- Santilli V, Beghi E, Finucci S. Chiropractic manipulation in the treatment of acute back pain and sciatica with disc protrusion: a randomized double-blind clinical trial of active and simulated spinal manipulations. Spine J. 2006 Mar-Apr;6(2):131-7. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2005.08.001. Epub 2006 Feb 3. PMID: 16517383.
