Kyphosis Treatment in Mumbai
Kyphosis is a type of spinal deformity where the upper back is abnormally forward rounded by 40 degree or more. The condition is commonly called as “roundback” or “hunchback”. Generally, this deformity is mostly seen among adolescents but it can also occur at any age. Age related Kyphosis is due to wear and tear of the spinal bones causing them to compress or crack. Milder cases of Kyphosis can result into pain and visible hump on the patient but severe cases can cause respiratory issues and decreased mobility and hence needs to be diagnosed by a spine specialist in Mumbai. Some of the visual signs of Kyphosis are:
- Forward bend of the head compared to rest of the body
- Height of the upper back higher than normal when bending forward
- Stiff hamstring muscles
Spine and Sports clinic offers kyphosis treatment in Mumbai using multiple non-surgical treatment methods. Dr. Bhavin Shial, the most reputed spine specialist in Mumbai, believes in providing patients with an in-depth analysis of their condition and advising them with treatment is best suitable for their condition. In most of his cases, he has treated his patients having kyphosis with non-surgical treatment. While in some cases, kyphosis may be an irreversible condition, prevention from worsening has been done by him for many patients by using Braces, Physiotherapy and Spinal Fusion surgery if need be. To get kyphosis treatment in Mumbai you can absolutely rely to visit Spine and Sports Clinic, where our expert spine specialist, Dr Bhavin Shial and his team of internationally certified physiotherapists would use advanced techniques and latest equipment to give quick and best results.
What are the causes of Kyphosis
The most common causes of Kyphosis are Postural issues, Scheuermann’s disease, congenital birth defects, fractural compression due to broken bones, osteoporosis due to bone thinning, disk degeneration due to age and cancer.
Some of the above causes are more common leading to a further classification of the kyphosis like:
- Postural Kyphosis: This type of kyphosis is usually observed in young teenagers and is detected as a poor posture and slouching but no severe structural abnormality of spine. This can be corrected by the patient by putting a conscious effort of standing straight.
- Scheuermann’s Kyphosis: This type of kyphosis is more common amongst the kids in the age group of 12 to 14 years having Scheuermann disease. The cause of Scheuermann disease is unknown but as per researchers it is due to abnormal bone growth and development. This type of kyphosis is a more severe condition and observed amongst thin patients. An X-ray of this patient would reveal that consecutive vertebrae are more triangular than the normal rectangular shape. This irregular triangular shape leads into wedging of the vertebrae towards the front of the spine causing a forward curvature of the upper back and decreasing the normal disk space. Usually Scheuermann’s kyphosis causes pain in the upper part (thoracic) of the spine and worsens with activity or long periods of standing or sitting.
- Congenital Kyphosis: This type of kyphosis is a birth defect and takes place when the child in the mother’s womb. This happens when the bones are not properly formed, or some vertebrae are fused together. Also, congenital kyphosis worsens with age and would need surgical treatment like Spinal Fusion to stop the curve from further bending and impacting other parts of the body.
What are the signs and symptoms of Kyphosis
In case of mild kyphosis no visible symptoms will be present in the patient. But in moderate to severe cases, the patient can have the following symptoms:
- Hump or rounded back
- Muscle fatigue
- Stiffness of back
- Exaggerated hunchback in severe cases
- Loss of sensation or loss of bowel and bladder control in rare cases
- Difficulty in breathing because of reduced space in the chest for the lungs to expand
How to diagnose Kyphosis treatment
The kyphosis treatment doctor would first record the patient’s entire medical history. Following the medical history, a physical examination is done by the doctor in which he will ask the patient to bend forward from the waist. The doctor checks the slope of the spine from the side to determine the degree of curvature. He would also do a check on your legs and arms to determine whether they are impacted by kyphosis by doing a test of strength, sensation and flexibility of those areas. He would question the patient if there is any difficulty in breathing or walking.
At our kyphosis treatment center, Dr. Bhavin Shial our kyphosis specialist in Mumbai advises patients to undergo X-rays and MRI if needed to help further understand the correct course of treatment and see the progress of the treatment. An X-ray would in understanding the curvature and identify any deformity. An MRI would be asked to do if any nerve related disorder is noticed in the symptoms.
What are the prevention tips for Kyphosis
In case of Scheuermann’s kyphosis and congenital kyphosis the cause is a disease or birth defect and hence cannot be prevented. However, bracing and exercises recommended by spine specialist can slow down the progression. In case of postural kyphosis, prevention measures like conscious effort to use correct posture and strengthening of back muscles can help.
- Proper Posture: It is necessary to maintain a proper posture throughout the day whether you are sitting, standing or sleeping. Slouching, poor posture weakens the core muscles and increases the pressure on the back leading to more wear and tear of the spine, which ultimately results into spine curvature.
- Even distribution of weights: While carrying heavy weights, distribute your weights evenly between both hands and shoulder. Do not carry bags with strap placed over only on one shoulder. Try to keep a balance between both sides of the both by distributing equal amount of weights on each side.
How to differentiate Kyphosis from other symptoms of spine-related pain?
Kyphosis is an abnormal forward bending of spine and hence has visual characteristics which differentiate it from other spinal problems. A kyphosis patient might not suffer from severe back pain, but they may face respiratory difficulty because of reduced space in chest. In some severe cases, there may be numbness, loss of sensation or weakness in the arms and legs.
Get Best Kyphosis Treatment in Mumbai
The treatment for kyphosis varies from case-to-case basis depending upon the severity of curve and the probability of it getting worse. At Spine and Sport Clinic, Dr Bhavin Shial, renowned spine specialist in Mumbai believes that surgery as an option should be the last resort for treating pain caused by spinal disorders. For the best kyphosis treatment in Mumbai, it’s important to reach out to a highly experienced team of spine specialist and physiotherapist. For Postural and Scheuermann’s kyphosis with lesser than 75 degree bend non-surgical options like physiotherapy, medicines, braces and constant observation is suggested. For cases with more than 75-degree bend and for congenital kyphosis; surgical procedure of Spinal Fusion may be suggested upon diagnosis. The Spinal fusion procedure may result into reduced degree of curve, reduce the back pain and prevent further deterioration of condition. Surgery as an option is only suggested in severe cases where the patients is facing difficulty in breathing or having a tingling feeling, loss of sensation or weakness in the arms and legs.
Step into our clinic to consult Dr Bhavin Shial and clear all your doubts about Kyphosis treatment in Mumbai.
FAQs for Kyphosis
Kyphosis can be cured depending upon the severity of the condition. Minor kyphosis can be cured with Braces and physical exercises. The Braces ensures postural correction, prevents further worsening of the curvature and provides relief from pain. The brace would not ensure a complete straightening of the spine, but it will aid in some correction. In severe cases of kyphosis, a spinal surgery may be needed to stop the progression of the deformity, reduce the deformity, relief for nerve pain or prevent damage to nerves.
The best treatment for kyphosis varies from case-to-case basis depending upon a lot of factors like the age of the patient, severity of curve and the probability of it getting worse. At Spine and Sport Clinic, Dr. Bhavin Shial, best spine specialist in Mumbai treats kyphosis patients considering the above factors. His first line of approach is non-surgical treatments like Braces, medicines, physical exercises, postural correction for day-to-day activities. In severe cases, he may suggest spinal surgery if needed to stop the progression of the deformity, reduce the deformity, relief for nerve pain or prevent damage to nerves.
Kyphosis affects neck, back and spinal nerves. In some cases, kyphosis may result into pain which causes numbness of loss of sensation in arms and legs. Some of the organs that may get affected are lungs and bladder. Patients with severe curvature would find reduced space in chest causing the ribcage press against the lungs making it difficult to breathe. In some cases, the patients lose bowel and bladder control.
Braces are designed to hold the spine straight with the shoulders pulled back. Braces helps to take the pressure off the vertebrae, allowing the spinal column to normalize. Back braces may be needed to be worn 12 to 16 hours a day. Bracing is most effective in young patients who are still in growing years like below 18 years. In adults too, bracing helps from preventing the condition to worsen and provides relief from pain.
As age progress, the wear and tear of the spine bone and the spinal discs increases which would cause Kyphosis to worsen if not treated. Severe bending can cause immobility and increase the risk of falls or spinal fractures. One needs to meet a spine specialist who can provide the right course of surgical or non-surgical treatment from preventing the condition to worsen.