QUESTIONS-ANSWERS
Is the number of Xrays an issue ?
Even, as in all domain, we have to be reasonable, today the technologic progress have a real impact on Xrays. New Xrays machine decrease the radiation of over 80 %. Also good research and publications older than 20 years, cannot be consider today as a reference. However you are not an Xray . Nobody cannot be resume by a couple of numbersand/or statistics with the risk to apply a recipe which is positive for a small numbers of persons and questionable results for the others.
If my son has a scoliosis today, is it because I missed something in the past ?
Absolutely not
First of all, because nobody knows everything, also because, even in reference of our knowledges today, no scoliosis specialist cannot say with certitude who has to develop a scoliosis
First of all, because nobody knows everything, also because, even in reference of our knowledges today, no scoliosis specialist cannot say with certitude who has to develop a scoliosis
I heard about the fact that girls have more risk to develop a scoliosis than boys, why ?
In fact the percentage of scoliosis in boy and in girl is equal, however the risk of aggravation is significantly higher in girl compare to the boy. In other hand out of 10 scoliosis, 2 boys progress compare to 8 girls.
What is scoliotic attitude ? Is it different than scoliosis ?
Scoliotic attitude is an inflexion of the spine in the frontal plane (when you see the person from the back). We can have a scoliotic attitude when, for example, there is a slight lower limbs inequality. The scoliotic attitude is perfectly reducible and there is no rib hump. The evolution is usually a spontaneous progressive reduction.
I summary, it’s not a scoliosis. However be prudent to avoid a confusion between a scoliotic attitude and a scoliosis at the beginning.
I summary, it’s not a scoliosis. However be prudent to avoid a confusion between a scoliotic attitude and a scoliosis at the beginning.
I have a slight scoliosis without evolution from my adolescence, my son also.
Is it hereditary ?
The hereditary factor is well known in idiopathic scoliosis. However, only some family in the world demonstrated a dominant heredity mean that one or more person in each generation develop a scoliosis. For the majority of the parents having a scoliotic child, we have to look back two or more generation to find a person in family who had a scoliosis. In the same way, the future children of scoliotic child have few risk to develop a scoliosis. However it is prudent to mention the scoliosis to the future pediatrician to be sure to have early screening using repetitive clinical exam to the end of the growth ( XRays should be prescribe only if there is reasonable doubt).
What is an idiopathic scoliosis ?
Idiopathic scoliosis is a tridimensional deformation of the spine. The cause is unknown and classically associate to gibbosity or back hump. Remember that the hump is not necessary a sufficient criteria to define scoliosis and it can appears later on..
Is the scoliosis a disease ?
Scoliosis is not really a disease but more a symptom or an abnormality in relation with an underline disease. Remember we know the scoliosis since antiquity, however even today the cause still unknown for 80% of scoliosis.
What is the origin of the scoliosis ? Why particularly certain person but not others ?
There is a lot of different causes for scoliotic pathology. The etiology of 80% of scoliotic pathology is unknown. The other 20% are the symptom of a lot of different disease. This is the reason why it is absolutely necessary to have a specialist opinion as soon as the diagnosis is establish. The goal is to eliminate or confirm an underline disease has to be investigate and treated or at least follow adequately.
Can a scoliosis be stable ?
Effectively a scoliosis can be stable and, in fact, it'is the case for a majority of them. However, even today, we have no reliable criteria to determine which one has a high risk to progress or very low risk. In an other hand, particularly in the child, the aggravation is evident only during the period of high velocity of back growth, meaning that we can observe an important aggravation in just a few month times. Finally the risk of aggravation is significantly higher in girl compare to the boy. Those particular factors are very far to be unique and this is the reason to ask an appointment with a scoliosis specialist,. The one who has a precious experience, to compensate the absence of reliable criteria to determine the prognosis.
What type of exams is necessary to determine the suitable treatment ?
Are essential: a review of medical history and previous event of the person, a detail medical exam and XRays. However other exams can be essential depending on accurate criteria determine by the scoliosis specialist.
Can a scoliosis could be cure ? Is it unrealistic to believe it ?
If we translate cure by eliminate the cause, the answer is probably not. If we translate cure by stabilize even reduce the deformation enough to avoid consequences for the future life; the answer is probably yes. However this affirmation depend on the importance of the deformation when the diagnosis is made. the right choice of treatment or treatments and the complete cooperation of the treated person. It’s also the real interest of an early screening and a follow up by an expert in scoliosis.
My son is 12 years old and has a scoliosis without pain.
Can we expected to avoid the surgical treatment by conservative treatment ?
Under some condition the answer is yes. First of all it is important to have a clear diagnosis and program a regular follow up with an experimented professional even a multidisciplinary team to choose the best treatment available. Many recognised that conservative treatment are available. However it is important to consider that the ideal treatment doesn’t exist and more important, all treatment demand involment with cooperation and permanent implication for some years more than some month. When a person decide to participate, the physical result offer real satisfaction and more than that, we observe an evolution of the person personality who become very positive to invest in their future life.
Is the brace for adult just a comfort element ?
Never consider a brace just as a comfort element because consequences could be positive but also negative.
If you have experience about wearing a brace, you have a good idea about the comfort aspect.
If you have experience about wearing a brace, you have a good idea about the comfort aspect.
Is it true that sport has to be avoided ? Which one ?
Sport has not to be avoided but could be consider very positive with some exception. It’s prudent and important to ask this question to your doctor who has elements for personal answer.
I heard about metallic rods for the spine. Can we live with a rigid spine ?
The answer is yes in a short and middle term. For the long term, the answer is not so evident because even we have good information for the long term result for the initial technic of surgery. Since then, the technologic progress are important. Today the follow up after surgery is relatively short, also it is very difficult to define the result 30 or 40 years post-surgery. To have clear information we definitively need an international data base but it is quite impossible because the cost is too high.
However when the deformation is really severe there is no real question. Just only one interrogation that persist : can we accept and assume a real reduction of life expectancy because we refuse surgical treatment.
However when the deformation is really severe there is no real question. Just only one interrogation that persist : can we accept and assume a real reduction of life expectancy because we refuse surgical treatment.
My child don’t seems to be anxious compare to me.
Is it possible to find a way to give him more consideration for a good posture ?
First of all it is important to differentiate “straight” posture and “good” posture which is very different, particularly when we talk about scoliosis.
Rarely children think about their future, at middle term and less at long term. Only the present has a real importance and without real inconvenient ; the notion of obligation is or an abstraction or inacceptable.
Each child is unique and his reaction is individual, also there is no just one option. The only one attitude has to be positive: establish and maintain a good communication with his child to help him to take his own responsibility depending his evolution and capacity. Sometime having contact with other children that had or have to deal with the same difficulties could help a lot. Those contacts could be, through associations, an a very good help.
It is important to avoid absolutely : ignore the problem or insist daily on the risk.
Rarely children think about their future, at middle term and less at long term. Only the present has a real importance and without real inconvenient ; the notion of obligation is or an abstraction or inacceptable.
Each child is unique and his reaction is individual, also there is no just one option. The only one attitude has to be positive: establish and maintain a good communication with his child to help him to take his own responsibility depending his evolution and capacity. Sometime having contact with other children that had or have to deal with the same difficulties could help a lot. Those contacts could be, through associations, an a very good help.
It is important to avoid absolutely : ignore the problem or insist daily on the risk.
Is the osteopathy method can improve my scoliosis ?
Unfortunately we have no answer to this question. there is no serious scientific study done and/or publish. That mean we have no idea.
However if you decide to try it, don’t forget to maintain a regular follow up with scoliosis specialist. It is not only prudent but we can have a chance to learn something to help other person.
However if you decide to try it, don’t forget to maintain a regular follow up with scoliosis specialist. It is not only prudent but we can have a chance to learn something to help other person.