Scoliosis Types

Scoliosis is a disorder of the spine that affects over 12 million people. According to the Baylor Scoliosis Center, "The majority of these people have few problems but for some with progressive curvature, the problems can be very severe." Progressive deformity of the spine and excruciating pain are symptoms of scoliosis in its most serious forms.

Definition

• Scoliosis is a side-to-side curvature of the spine. The average spine curves front to back, but in individuals with scoliosis, the spine twists from left to right, making it appear C- or S-shaped. In some patients, curvatures are mild, painless and do not require treatment. In patients with more severe curvatures, the prognosis is quite different. They may experience pain and disfigurement that can impair their ability to walk and even breathe. Treatment options include bracing (if the curvature is detected early) or surgery to correct the abnormal curvature.

Idiopathic Scoliosis

• Ninety percent of scoliosis cases are idiopathic, meaning they have no known cause. Scoliosis is thought to be genetic, but the gene or genes responsible for causing the disease are presently unknown. Although idiopathic scoliosis tends to run in families, there is no way of determining who will develop a curvature or how severe the curve or curves will be. Children between 10 and 18 years old are diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis when no other factors are present, like birth defects or impairments from an accident. The disease typically affects more girls than boys. Juvenile idiopathic scoliosis is detected in children between 3 and 10 years old, although this type is rare.

Congenital Scoliosis

• Congenital scoliosis is caused by improperly formed spinal bones during fetal development. This condition is uncommon, despite the opportunity for malformations of the vertebral column during the first 3 to 6 weeks of embryonic development. Doctors group congenital scoliosis into three groups: failures of formation, failures of segmentation and a combination of these defects. The most common is failure of formation resulting in a hemivertebra. A hemivertebra is a growth imbalance that causes the spine to be crooked. Failure of segmentation includes blocked vertebra and unilateral bars, causing growth tether of the spine. Lastly, when these malformations occur simultaneously, such as a bar on one side and a hemivertebra on the other, the scoliosis can progress rapidly.

Neuromuscular Scoliosis

• Neuromuscular scoliosis is caused by abnormalities in neuromuscular function. According to iScoliosis: "Because neuromuscular scoliosis has so many causes, the patterns and incidence vary greatly. However, the prevalence of spinal deformity in the patient with a neuromuscular disorder is much higher than in the general population. It ranges from 20 percent in children with cerebral palsy to 60 percent in patients with myelodysplasia. The prevalence rises to 90 percent in males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In general, the greater the neuromuscular involvement, the greater the likelihood and severity of scoliosis." The effects on patients with neuromuscular scoliosis are difficult as the disease presents with other illnesses and can eventually result in overall loss of function.

Adult Scoliosis

• Scoliosis in adults is categorized into three types. Purely degenerative scoliosis is caused from conditions of normal wear and tear on the spine. Old idiopathic curves, with degeneration, develop when childhood curves become worse through age-related changes. Finally, secondary adult scoliosis emerges from tumors and fractures occurring in and around the spinal column. Most adults facing scoliosis had underlying curves as children that were misdiagnosed or overlooked.