CURVATURE OF THE SPINE - KYPHOSIS - SCOLIOSIS

What is Curvature of the Spine ?

When looked at from behind, the spine is normally straight. A SCOLIOSIS is present when there is a curve of the spine to one side. Sometimes two curves in opposite directions may be present. There is often abnormal rotation of the spine as well as the curve. This means that either the ribs or the muscles of the lower back form a hump to one side. The hump is more obvious when the patient bends over. If the curve is in the lower back, then one hip may stick out. A curve in the upper part of the spine causes the shoulders to be at different levels. In some cases, the scoliosis will disappear when the patient sits or bends. When seen from the side, the upper part of the spine normally curves outwards: the lower spine curves inwards. A KYPHOSIS is present when there is abnormal outward curvature of the spine. In the lower spine this curvature is actually opposite to the normal inward curve. In both scoliosis and kyphosis, the symptoms depend on the cause of the curve. The majority of scolioses are painless: it is usually the odd shape of the spine which is noticed first. Pain is more often a problem when a kyphosis is present. Again, the pain depends on the cause of the curvature.

How does Curvature of the Spine occur ?

In some patients a scoliosis is present because the legs are different lengths. This type of curve will disappear on sitting. Some children normally stand with a slight curve which disappears when they bend. The cause of the most common type of scoliosis in teenage girls is unknown. Younger children are occasionally affected too. This type of curve is more obvious when the patient bends over. Weakness of the back muscles may also cause scoliosis. This is seen in polio, muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy. Abnormal bones in the spine or growths can also cause scoliosis. In older people, a curve may be caused by wear and tear changes in the bones. The commonest type of kyphosis occurs in older people due to collapse of several bones in the spine as a result of thinning of the bones (osteoporosis). Arthritis, particularly a variety called anklyosing spondylitis, can cause a kyphosis. Rarely, infection, a fracture, or a growth within the bones of the spine may cause a sharply angled kyphosis.

Why does Curvature of the Spine occur ?

Scoliosis does tend to run in families, particularly the type that occurs in young girls. It may also be part of a disease which is passed on from parents to children.

Treatment Involved for Curvature of the Spine

Treatment depends on how bad the kyphosis or scoliosis is and on the cause. A scoliosis that goes away when the patient bends over is not usually treated. If it is due to legs of different lengths, then this problem is sometimes dealt with by building up the heel of one shoe. A leg may require surgery if the difference is large. A scoliosis that does not straighten on bending over may need treatment when it occurs in a young child or teenager. In a young child it is likely to get much worse with growth. These children usually need to be treated in plaster casts, or plastic jackets, for some years. In the teenager, the majority of curves do not need treatment: casts or jackets are rarely used in this age group. If a curve is severe and rapidly getting worse while the child is still growing, then surgery may be necessary. A spinal fusion is normally carried out. This operation is done under general anaesthetic. A long incision is made down the back. The curve is corrected as much as possible with metal rods and hooks placed on the spine. The joints at the back of the spine are removed and bone is packed in. This bone is taken from the back of the pelvis and makes the bones of the spine join together. This stops the curve getting worse. After operation blood and fluids are given through a drip tube put into an arm vein. The time in hospital is usually about 2 weeks. A plaster cast or plastic jacket is sometimes used after surgery for up to 3 months. Curves that occur because of muscle weakness frequently need surgical treatment. In the teenage child with a smooth kyphosis, exercises are the usual treatment. The kyphosis rarely becomes severe enough to need surgical treatment. Painkillers and calcium supplements are usually helpful in older patients with osteoporosis. Infection of the spine requires rest in bed and treatment with antibiotics. This may be continued for up to 6 weeks. After that the spine is rested in a plastic or plaster jacket when the patient is up and about.

During Treatment for Curvature of the Spine

When surgery is not needed, patients are normally seen about every 6 months. Seek advice if there is any sudden change in the curve, or if there is pain. After an operation, any pain, problems with the wound, or a change in the shape of the curve should be reported to the doctor. Sometimes a plaster or plastic jacket may rub on the skin underneath. This causes discomfort, and advice should be sought: the part of the jacket which is causing pressure can be cut out and replaced.

If Curvature of the Spine is Left Untreated

As mentioned, many curves do not need treatment. If a bad curve is not treated, then this may get much worse as a child grows. The result may be a very deformed spine. This may cause problems with breathing and produce spinal arthritis in later life. Growths and infection in the spine must be treated; otherwise damage to the spinal nerves is likely to occur. Early medical examination is very important in any child with a possible curvature of the spine.

The Author encourages the viewer and reader to watch the following video for a better understanding of the above-mentioned article.

URL: http://video.about.com/backandneck/Scoliosis.htm

ARDS

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is breathing failure that can occur in critically ill persons with underlying illnesses. It is not a specific disease. Instead, it is a life–threatening condition that occurs when there is severe fluid buildup in both lungs. The fluid buildup prevents the lungs from working properly—that is, allowing the transfer of(oxygen) from air into the body and (carbon dioxide) out of the body into the air.

In ARDS, the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in the lungs or the air sacs (alveoli (al–VEE–uhl–eye) are damaged because of an infection, injury, blood loss, or inhalation injury. Fluid leaks from the blood vessels into air sacs of the lungs. While some air sacs fill with fluid, others collapse. When the air sacs collapse or fill up with fluid, the lungs can no longer fill properly with air and the lungs become stiff. Without air entering the lungs properly, the amount of oxygen in the blood drops. When this happens, the person with ARDS must be given extra oxygen and may need the help of a breathing machine.

Breathing failure can occur very quickly after the condition begins. It may take only 1 or 2 days for fluid to build up. The process that causes ARDS may continue for weeks. If scarring occurs, this will make it harder for the lungs to take in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide.

In the past, only about 4 out of 10 people who developed ARDS survived. But today, with good care in a hospital's intensive or critical care unit, many people (about 7 out of 10) with ARDS survive. Although many people who survive ARDS make a full recovery, some survivors have lasting damage to their lungs.

Anatomy of the heart

A normal heart is a strong muscular pump. It weighs between 200 to 425 grams (7 and 15 ounces) and is a little larger than the size of your fist. During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times. The average heart beats about 100,000 times each day and pumps about 7,200 liters (1,900 gallons) of blood. Your heart sits between your lungs in the middle of your chest, behind and slightly to the left of your breastbone. A double-layered membrane called the pericardium surrounds your heart like a sac. Blood loaded with oxygen comes from your lungs and enters your heart. To function, your heart needs a continuous supply of oxygen and nutrients, which it gets from the blood that is pumped through the coronary arteries. Function Your heart and circulatory system make up your cardiovascular system. Your heart pumps blood to the organs, tissues, and cells of your body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to every cell and removing carbon dioxide and waste products made by those cells. Oxygen-rich blood is carried from your heart to the rest of your body through a complex network of arteries, arterioles and capillaries. Oxygen-poor blood is carried back to your heart through veins. How it works Your heart is a pump with four chambers. The upper chambers are called the left and right atria, and the lower ones are the left and right ventricles. A wall of muscle called the septum separates the left and right atria and the left and right ventricles. The left ventricle is the largest and strongest chamber in your heart. It can push blood through the aortic valve and into your entire body. The right two chambers of your heart (right atrium and right ventricle) pump blood from the heart to the lungs, so blood cells can pick up a fresh load of oxygen in exchange for the wastes they've collected during their trip around the body. The oxygen-rich blood returns to the left chambers of the heart (left atrium and left ventricle), which then pump it around the rest of the body. As the heart muscle relaxes, the two top chambers (the atria) fill with blood. Then, these chambers contract, squeezing blood down into the ventricles. The ventricles then contract, sending blood flowing out of the heart either to the lungs or through the body. What happens during a heartbeat In a normal heart, the electrical impulse that starts the heartbeat begins in a group of cells called the sinus node (or the SA node for short), in the right atrium. The SA node is often called the pacemaker of the heart. It works something like the spark plug in a car engine, producing the electrical signals that make the heart pump. The SA node generates a number of signals each minute in response to the body's needs. The resting heart rate is usually about 60 to 80 beats per minute. After a burst of electricity is generated, it spreads out through the top half of the heart (the atria), almost like ripples spreading out from a stone dropped into a pond. This signal makes the upper chambers or atria contract. As they do, the blood inside them is squeezed out into the lower chambers of the heart – the ventricles. Meanwhile the electrical signal that made the atria contract has reached the AV (atrio-ventricular) node, in the lower part of the right atrium. The AV node is the electrical connection between the atria and the ventricles. It holds the electrical signal for a moment, like a relay station, so the blood from the atria can be pumped into the ventricles. Then, it sends the signal to the lower chambers of the heart, making them contract. As the ventricles contract, they send blood pumping out with great force. The electrical signal has now passed through the upper and lower chambers of the heart, making them contract. This is one heartbeat. This electrical activity produces electrical waves that can be measured using a heart test called an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). Last reviewed September 2006.

Heart and Stroke Foundation

What is Heart Disease Anatomy of the heart Anatomy of the heart A normal heart is a strong muscular pump. It weighs between 200 to 425 grams (7 and 15 ounces) and is a little larger than the size of your fist. During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times. The average heart beats about 100,000 times each day and pumps about 7,200 liters (1,900 gallons) of blood. Your heart sits between your lungs in the middle of your chest, behind and slightly to the left of your breastbone. A double-layered membrane called the pericardium surrounds your heart like a sac. Blood loaded with oxygen comes from your lungs and enters your heart. To function, your heart needs a continuous supply of oxygen and nutrients, which it gets from the blood that is pumped through the coronary arteries. Function Your heart and circulatory system make up your cardiovascular system. Your heart pumps blood to the organs, tissues, and cells of your body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to every cell and removing carbon dioxide and waste products made by those cells. Oxygen-rich blood is carried from your heart to the rest of your body through a complex network of arteries, arterioles and capillaries. Oxygen-poor blood is carried back to your heart through veins. How it works Your heart is a pump with four chambers. The upper chambers are called the left and right atria, and the lower ones are the left and right ventricles. A wall of muscle called the septum separates the left and right atria and the left and right ventricles. The left ventricle is the largest and strongest chamber in your heart. It can push blood through the aortic valve and into your entire body. The right two chambers of your heart (right atrium and right ventricle) pump blood from the heart to the lungs, so blood cells can pick up a fresh load of oxygen in exchange for the wastes they've collected during their trip around the body. The oxygen-rich blood returns to the left chambers of the heart (left atrium and left ventricle), which then pump it around the rest of the body. As the heart muscle relaxes, the two top chambers (the atria) fill with blood. Then, these chambers contract, squeezing blood down into the ventricles. The ventricles then contract, sending blood flowing out of the heart either to the lungs or through the body. What happens during a heartbeat In a normal heart, the electrical impulse that starts the heartbeat begins in a group of cells called the sinus node (or the SA node for short), in the right atrium. The SA node is often called the pacemaker of the heart. It works something like the spark plug in a car engine, producing the electrical signals that make the heart pump. The SA node generates a number of signals each minute in response to the body's needs. The resting heart rate is usually about 60 to 80 beats per minute. After a burst of electricity is generated, it spreads out through the top half of the heart (the atria), almost like ripples spreading out from a stone dropped into a pond. This signal makes the upper chambers or atria contract. As they do, the blood inside them is squeezed out into the lower chambers of the heart – the ventricles. Meanwhile the electrical signal that made the atria contract has reached the AV (atrio-ventricular) node, in the lower part of the right atrium. The AV node is the electrical connection between the atria and the ventricles. It holds the electrical signal for a moment, like a relay station, so the blood from the atria can be pumped into the ventricles. Then, it sends the signal to the lower chambers of the heart, making them contract. As the ventricles contract, they send blood pumping out with great force. The electrical signal has now passed through the upper and lower chambers of the heart, making them contract. This is one heartbeat. This electrical activity produces electrical waves that can be measured using a heart test called an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). Last reviewed September 2006.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

The term cerebral palsy refers to any one of a number of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and permanently affect body movement and muscle coordination but don’t worsen over time. Even though cerebral palsy affects muscle movement, it isn’t caused by problems in the muscles or nerves. It is caused by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control muscle movements. The majority of children with cerebral palsy are born with it, although it may not be detected until months or years later. The early signs of cerebral palsy usually appear before a child reaches 3 years of age. The most common are a lack of muscle coordination when performing voluntary movements (ataxia); stiff or tight muscles and exaggerated reflexes (spasticity); walking with one foot or leg dragging; walking on the toes, a crouched gait, or a “scissored” gait; and muscle tone that is either too stiff or too floppy. A small number of children have cerebral palsy as the result of brain damage in the first few months or years of life, brain infections such as bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis, or head injury from a motor vehicle accident, a fall, or child abuse.

Watch the following Video for more Understanding and Information:
http://www.ofcp.on.ca/video/llj1.wmv

More Information on Cerebral Palsy "It Does Not Hurt Anyone to Gain Additional Knowledge"
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cerebral_palsy/cerebral_palsy.htm