Left-sided scoliosis of the thoracic and lumbar: degrees, treatment

Each of us from birth, the back is rough. In the lower part of the spine is always slightly arched forward. A deviation from the norm is the bending of the spine to the left or to the right of its axis, i.e. left-sided or right-sided scoliosis. A slight degree of this disease is that almost every one of us gets to the end of school. However, you should not take lightly this, it would seem almost harmless and so widespread disease.

Right arc curvature is usually observed in the thoracic spine, and left-sided — in the lumbar. Cases a S-shaped scoliosis is more complicated when the spine really resembles the shape of the English letter S, and the human body ceases to be symmetric. In very advanced cases, the spine is developing three arcs of curvature.

The types of scoliosis

Left-sided scoliosis is markedly less common than right and is more frequently diagnosed in women. Most often it is not treated specially, since serious problems with any by the spine, the ligaments or muscles in the early stages of left-side scoliosis does not cause. Nevertheless, this pathology is often found as a disease that accompanies a much more serious pathology of the spine — prolapsed disc and degenerative disc disease. There are such subspecies of the left-sided scoliosis:

• Breast;
• Lumbar;
• Thoracolumbar.

Left chest

With the exception of cases of congenital disorders, and injuries sustained during childbirth, left-sided scoliosis of the thoracic spine often begins to form when the work or lifestyle is associated with a long stay in the pose with a forward left shoulder, as well as people who are not accustomed to sleep on his left side. In addition, benefit the development of pathology plays often carrying heavy loads in the right hand or bag over my right shoulder. Remember the recommendation of pediatricians that the best school bag is a backpack, wearing which the load is distributed on the left and right sides of the back equally? And it is in childhood, in school, and the spine is starting to bend in one direction or another.

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Ironically, left-hand arc of curvature often occurs in athletes. This is due to frequent strain of muscle corset of the spine and myositis. The spine begins to bend in the direction opposite to the painfully tense muscles.

In the initial stages, the disease apparently does not manifest itself and does not cause much discomfort. Any measures to treat the developing disease is also not undertaken, even though 1 and 2 stage is the best time to stop the progression of scoliosis and even reverse it and noticeably improve the condition with the help of special complexes of exercises.

If left-sided thoracic scoliosis continues to progress, the third stage of the disease begins to develop compensatory right-sided arch in the lumbar or cervical spine. Right-sided scoliosis of the cervical spine is formed to stabilize the head position, and lumbar — for the alignment of the entire spine and balance.

Further progression of the scoliosis has already provoked instability of the internal organs located to the right of the spine. Is developing pulmonary insufficiency and disorders of the heart.

Lumbar

When a left lumbar scoliosis primary, he rarely develops to the S-shaped and is not considered a severe form of the disease. This situation stems from the fact that the lumbar is located in close proximity to the center of gravity of the body and to restore balance not required strong deviation of the spine in the opposite direction. The first stage of scoliosis this Department is also externally unobtrusive. With the development of the disease to the third stage, and further can have the following signs:

• The offset of the pelvis to the left relative to the axis of the spine;
• Asymmetry of the gluteal folds;
• The right leg is visibly longer than the left.

• See also: What kind of doctor treats, scalias.

Level changes of internal organs: the omission of the right kidney, there are problems in the organs of the pelvis.

Particularly severe forms of the disease are able to buy in cases of congenital abnormalities or arthritis of the hip joints, as well as elderly people and neglect the right side of the thoracic scoliosis.

Combined thoracolumbar

In thoracolumbar scoliosis deformation of the exposed vertebrae of two of the spine. At first the pathology responds well to treatment. Active therapy with conservative methods gives you the ability to stop the progression of the disease in 80 cases out of 100.

Treatment

In the initial stages of the disease can not only stop its development, but also to achieve a significant improvement in the patient's condition. Especially when the scoliosis is detected in children and young age. There are two methods of treatment:

• Conservative;
• Surgical.

Conservative treatment is applicable and gives the best effect during the early stages of the disease. It is carried out on an outpatient basis, and the methods to be applied in each case is determined only after a thorough examination of the patient, including x-ray and diagnosis. The first thing required of the patient is the restoration of the tone of the muscles and ligaments surrounding the spine. For this, there are specific complexes of gymnastic exercises that are prescribed for left-sided thoracic scoliosis. Also the patient may be advised to wear a special corset for posture correction.

• Information on the topic: Treatment of scoliosis in children and adolescents

Left-sided scoliosis of the lumbar spine treated with the use of manual correction of the curved portion of the spine. Correction involves a course of manual therapy and performance of a complex personally selected gymnastic exercises. Gymnastics is done under the supervision of a physician. Then the patient is recommended regular courses of massage and a visit to fizkabinet.

• See also: Massage for scoliosis in children.

At the time of treatment of the left-sided scoliosis patient are not recommended for playing sports, which involved only the right arm, such as tennis or badminton. But gymnastics, swimming, basketball, rowing or skiing, on the contrary — are welcome. In General, any good sports, providing for equal load on both hands.

After a year after treatment is required to revisit doctor and be re-examined. According to the results of examination and x-rays performed in the same projections as for initial examination, the doctor makes a conclusion about the dynamics of the disease and assigns further treatment.

• See also: How to treat scoliosis of 2 degrees

For children who are diagnosed with scoliosis, in addition to the complex conservative therapy, it is also necessary to minimize the everyday factors that trigger the development of scoliosis. Namely:

• Children's furniture should be chosen properly. That is, the height of the chair and the table must be suitable to the child growth.
• The child's leisure time should include at least 2 hours of leisure or games daily and preferably in the fresh air;
• Refusal to wear a backpack or bag using one shoulder or in one hand;
• The place of sleep should not be equipped with soft pillows or mattresses. Valid only pillow and hard mattress.

Surgically treated scoliosis where conservative ways of treatment have not yielded results, and the angle of curvature of the spine has reached 40 degrees. During surgery the spine is aligned and fixed with metal plates.

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May also be used for fixing your own bone material of the patient. This fixation allows to prevent further curvature of the spine. It should be noted that if we are talking about teenagers, for surgical interference is not resorted to because in such cases the spine, as, indeed, the entire body has not yet fully formed and improving the condition of the patient is possible with the use of conservative methods of therapy.