What Causes Spinal Deformities?
Spinal deformities can be caused by many different problems, such as:
- Trauma
- Arthritis
- Congenital anomalies
- Tumors
- Infections
- Unintended consequences of radiation or surgical treatments
- Flat Back Syndrome
What Are Symptoms of Spinal Deformities?
Some spinal deformities are mild and stabilize over time, while others get worse if untreated. If gone untreated, symptoms include:
- Worsening arthritis
- Damage to disks and bones
- Weakening of muscles that are overstretched or contracted
- Difficulty breathing or eating
- Not being able to look straight ahead or forward
In some cases, a deformity can result in:
- Spinal stenosis
- Disk herniation
- Synovial cyst
- Nerve pinching of the spinal cord
- Neurological symptoms
How are Spinal Deformities treated?
When the deformity of the spine impacts the person’s quality of life and health, then surgery should be considered to correct the deformity.
Surgical treatments range from:
- Minimally invasive spinal fusions
- Open short segments stabilization and fusion
- Extensive deformity corrections that require multiple large operations
Dr. Jenkins is at the forefront of developing minimally invasive treatments to reduce the risk to the patient as well as provide relief from the progression of the deformity.
Many people have concerns about surgery, and consequences like the reduced range of motion. In most cases, the range of motion after surgery is not very different from before surgery. Deformity correction can be a life-changing procedure that can benefit people of all ages.