HealthFirst: The adult scoliosis debate

UNDATED ABC12's Leslie Toldo tells viewers about a major study looking into the best way to treat scoliosis.

This year researchers kicked-off their first-ever long-term study of adult scoliosis, and they are already finding answers.

Julia Eppler, an adult scoliosis patient, has had many back problems, ruining her backstitch. "I've had back pain since I was 14."

Eppler was diagnosed at age 20 with adult scoliosis. Her spine's curve grew from 24 degrees to 54. Attempts at physical therapy and injections failed. "It was very frustrating and I felt very limited."

Half a million people have adult scoliosis in the United States, and 40 percent will feel more pain each year. "Many people, as the spine begins to age and the discs degenerate, begin to experience more back and even leg pain," said Dr. Charles C. Edwards II, of the Maryland Spine Center.

Doctor Edwards also explained a new study that shows spinal surgery may be the only true option. Therapy, braces and pain injections don't hold up long term for most. Still, the U.S. spends $860 billion a year on these remedies. "While we may try medicines and injections first, oftentimes, we will move onto surgery because those other methods just are not making a difference for them."

The study shows operative patients saw a significant boost in function and quality of life, that includes patients from 40 to 80 years old. Non-operative patients reported no improvement at all.

Eppler's decompression and fusion surgery worked, and her spine works just fine now. "I no longer have this sharp, burning, debilitating pain .... The difference has been remarkable."

Six centers across the U.S. are currently involved in the government's adult scoliosis study. The closest site to Mid-Michigan is in Chicago.

BACKGROUND: Any individual over the age of 18 who has experienced spinal deformity is considered to have adult scoliosis. Scoliosis is defined as an abnormal, side-to-side, curvature of the spine. There are varying causes of spinal deformity including; idiopathic scoliosis, congenital anomalies, degenerative scoliosis, posttraumatic scoliosis and neuro-muscular scoliosis. Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common form of spinal deformity doctors see, affecting about three percent of the general population. (SOURCE: Adult Scoliosis and Spine Associates)

THE BIRTH OF PAIN: It begins in childhood but advances in pain and deformity in adulthood. Congenital anomalies form in the uterus while degenerative scoliosis is caused by disc degeneration. As a result of spine fractures, posttraumatic scoliosis comes into existence and neuro-muscular scoliosis has been found to develop in patients with neuromuscular disorders like polio or muscular dystrophies. (SOURCE: Adult Scoliosis and Spine Associates)

SYMPTOMS OF SCOLIOSIS: Scoliosis is often painless with back pain eventually developing only as the condition progresses. Deformities may place unnecessary pressure on ones nerves and possibly even on the spinal cord. This can lead to weakness, numbness, and pain in the lower extremities. In severe, often very rare cases, pressure on the spinal cord may cause loss of coordination in the leg muscles, making it difficult to walk normally. If the chest is deformed due to scoliosis, the lungs and heart may also be affected. This can promote breathing problems, fatigue, and even heart failure. (SOURCE: www.allaboutbackandneckpain.com)

SIMPLE SCOLIOSIS TEST: Aside from experiencing back discomfort, what'll typically bring a patient to the doctor are the noticeable changes in ones back. Some signs that may lead an individual to the doctor include one shoulder or hip higher than the other, one shoulder blade higher or sticking out farther than the other, a hump in the back that sticks up when bending forward, one arm hanging longer than the other or the waist appearing asymmetrical. (SOURCE: www.iscoliosis.com)

TREATMENT: Some adult scoliosis treatment doesn't require surgery. A combination of physical therapy, exercise and Ibuprofen can serve as a recommended treatment. Steroid injections are sometimes used to treat pinched nerves. Surgery is only recommended if pain is unresponsive to non-operative treatment. (SOURCE: www.healthcentral.com)

For More Information, Contact:
Mr. Ryan Andrews
Research Assistant
(410) 539-3434
rkandrews87@gmail.com

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