Kyphosis is a curvature of the spine, popularly called “stoop”. It is characterized by excessive bending back of the vertebral column in the thoracic region, which ultimately leads to the formation of a hump. It is more common in male patients.
Most often, kyphosis is a consequence of incorrect posture. It occurs mainly in young men, with properly selected therapy, in most cases it lends itself to successful treatment. The second most common diagnosis is degenerative kyphosis. It occurs more often in the elderly, in most cases – as a consequence of the late stages of osteochondrosis of the spine. It is characterized by the formation of a hump.
Kyphosis can occur as a consequence of various spinal injuries, including fractures, as well as as a consequence of unsuccessful spinal surgeries (in order to eliminate other ailments).
The cause of the destruction of intervertebral tissues and, as a consequence, the cause of the development of kyphosis can also be: tuberculosis, rickets, coxarthrosis.
TYPES OF KYPHOSIS
Kyphosis is classified according to the causes of occurrence:
congenital kyphosis – occurs due to abnormalities of intrauterine development;
compression (post-traumatic) kyphosis – occurs as a consequence of a compression fracture of the spine with a decrease in their height in the anterior sections;
rickety kyphosis – develops as a consequence of rickets, due to weakened muscles and ligaments;
physiological kyphosis is a moderate bend that occurs during puberty;
mobile (postural) kyphosis – occurs due to weakness of the back muscles and poor posture. The most common type of this disease;
senile (degenerative) kyphosis – develops in old age as a consequence of the destruction of intervertebral discs and weakening of the muscular framework;
total kyphosis is an arched curvature of the entire spine (considered the norm during the first weeks of life in newborns).
According to the type of curvature , kyphosis is distinguished by:
arched;
corner.
SYMPTOMS OF KYPHOSIS
Each type of kyphosis has its own specific symptoms. Often, the symptoms of kyphosis do not cause serious discomfort to their owner for a long period of time. The ordinary manifestations of kyphosis are usually attributed to:
back pain (more often in the thoracic region);
numbness, tingling in the extremities;
general weakness, fatigue, lethargy;
development of lordosis as a concomitant disease;
development of flat feet;
In the later stages, kyphosis takes life-threatening forms, which primarily include:
weakening of the muscular frame of the trunk;
compression of internal organs, leading to the development of diseases. First of all, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems of the body are damaged;
headaches, dizziness occur as a result of a violation of the blood supply to the brain;
hump formation;
possible loss of the ability to move independently.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF KYPHOSIS
Diagnosis and treatment of kyphosis should be handled by a vertebrologist, or a surgeon and neurologist. To diagnose kyphosis, it is enough for the doctor to conduct an examination and interview the patient. To confirm the diagnosis, the patient is assigned to undergo radiography or computer (or magnetic resonance) tomography.
After diagnosis and determination of the degree of curvature, appropriate treatment is prescribed. In the early stages, the use of physical therapy, massage and physiotherapy can achieve a beneficial result. In some cases, medication therapy, wearing a corset and symptomatic treatment of concomitant diseases are prescribed.
Surgical treatment can also be used to treat kyphosis, but it involves a number of dangers and requires the highest qualification of specialists, so it is not used too often.
