Lumbar Kyphosis - Symptoms And Treatment

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Lumbar kyphosis

Lumbar kyphosis is a pathological posterior curvature of the spine in the region of the five largest vertebrae. Most often, the pathological process involves two upper vertebrae of the lumbar spine and two lower vertebrae of the thoracic spine.

Normally, by the age of 9-12 months, the child's lumbar spine bends back, which makes it possible for him to stand and move on two legs. This natural deflection is called lumbar lordosis, and kyphosis is not typical for this part of the spine. But it can form under the influence of some pathological factors.

Content:

• Causes of kyphosis of the lumbar spine
• Lumbar kyphosis symptoms
• Treatment of kyphosis of the lumbar spine

Causes of kyphosis of the lumbar spine

The causes of kyphosis of the lumbar spine can be both congenital and acquired:

• Anomalies in the development of the skeleton: wedge-shaped vertebrae, their underdevelopment, accessory vertebrae, pathologies of their formation during the laying of the spine.
• Congenital or acquired difference in the length of the lower limbs.
• Rickets transferred in childhood.
• Postponed poliomyelitis, pleurisy.
• Cerebral palsy.
• Senile paralysis.
• Tick-borne encephalitis and tuberculosis.
• Spinal injuries, compression fractures.
• Spinal tumors.
• Poor posture.
• Genotypic kyphosis, which is inherited.
• Mobile kyphosis, which occurs due to weak back muscles. They often lose their strength when leading a sedentary lifestyle.
• Natural aging of the body and the degenerative-dystrophic changes that develop for this reason can lead to curvature of the spine in the lumbar region.
• Total kyphosis in adulthood develops against the background of ankylosing spondylitis.
• Leukemia can cause lumbar kyphosis.
• Surgical interventions on the spinal column.
• Osteochondrosis.
• Working conditions associated with regular heavy lifting.
• Spinal hernia. The risk of developing kyphosis with multiple large hernias increases.
• The presence of highly developed lumbar muscles, which is often observed in young people involved in heavy sports, can lead to kyphosis of the lumbar spine.
• Scheuermann-Mau disease.

Lumbar kyphosis symptoms

Lumbar kyphosis symptoms:

• Painful sensations in the lumbar region. Pain can radiate to the buttocks, to the legs, going along the sciatic nerve.
• As the disease progresses, when the nerve roots are clamped, the patient will experience numbness of the extremities, loss of skin sensitivity, cold feet and hands, not associated with low temperatures.
• Blood pressure surges are possible.
• Movement after a night's rest is constrained, mobility in the lumbar spine is limited and provokes pain.
• The absence of knee and tendon reflexes with segmental loss of the reflex of the muscles of the posterior-outer surface of the leg is possible.
• The tone of the gluteal muscles suffers, weakening as the disease progresses.
• Men will experience difficulties in the genital area, potency disorders often develop, which is caused by failures in blood circulation.

• Excessive pressure on the internal organs located in the small pelvis will provoke fecal incontinence, increased urge to urinate.
• Intercostal neuralgia is characteristic of lumbar kyphosis.
• The formation of a secondary hump above the lower back is possible.

In addition, the patient's appearance changes. The upper part of the body leans forward, the shoulders drop, and are reduced to the front. As the disease progresses, the whole body begins to suffer: the volume of the chest decreases, problems with the respiratory and cardiovascular systems appear, and oxygen deficiency increases.

Treatment of kyphosis of the lumbar spine

An orthopedic surgeon is responsible for detecting and treating kyphosis of the lumbar spine. Perhaps both conservative and surgical elimination of the problem. Conservative methods include the implementation of complexes of physiotherapy exercises, wearing corsets and manual therapy.

If a person experiences severe pain, then non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as analgesics, are used to eliminate them.

Manual therapy involves performing a warm-up of the sore back. Only an experienced specialist with an appropriate diploma should carry out medical manipulations.

An integrated approach to treatment is achieved through a combination of physical exercises with massage, breathing exercises and physiotherapeutic methods of influence. Reflexology and mud therapy are useful. Swimming helps to relieve the load on the spinal column.

It is important that the place for a night's rest for a person with kyphosis is properly organized. The mattress must be rigid and have an orthopedic base. On the recommendation of an orthopedist, a rigid wedge-shaped chest support can be used.

As for orthopedic corsets, they should be worn no more than 4 hours a day. Wearing a corset for too long can lead to weakening of the back muscles, which will negatively affect the condition of the spine and the disease will progress. Corset selection is carried out individually.

In some cases, it is not possible to do without the help of a surgeon. Indications for performing spinal surgery are severe pain, the presence of neurological disorders. It is also necessary to get rid of the problem if it bears a serious cosmetological defect. In addition to eliminating existing deformities and correcting pathological bending, sometimes it is necessary to get rid of intervertebral hernias, which allows preventing the progression of the disease. Sometimes, using a single operation, it is not possible to completely get rid of the problem, so repeated interventions are required.

Author of the article: Sokov Andrey Vladimirovich | Neurologist

Education: In 2005 completed an internship at the IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and received a diploma in Neurology. In 2009, completed postgraduate studies in the specialty "Nervous diseases".