Scoliosis in Lithuania

What is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is a medical condition characterized by an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine. Instead of a straight vertical alignment, the spine in individuals with scoliosis may appear to have an "S" or "C" shape when viewed from the front or back. This curvature can range in severity from mild to severe.

Scoliosis typically develops during the growth spurt that occurs just before puberty. While the exact cause of scoliosis is often unknown (known as idiopathic scoliosis), it can also be caused by various other factors such as:

1. Congenital scoliosis: When the spine's abnormal curvature is present at birth due to vertebral anomalies.
2. Neuromuscular scoliosis: Resulting from neurological or muscular disorders like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy.
3. Degenerative scoliosis: Occurs in older adults due to age-related wear and tear on the spine.
4. Idiopathic scoliosis: The most common type, with no clear identifiable cause.

The symptoms of scoliosis may include uneven shoulders, waist, or hips, one shoulder blade that appears more prominent than the other, and an uneven distribution of weight on the feet when standing. In mild cases, scoliosis may not cause significant problems, but more severe cases can lead to pain, discomfort, breathing difficulties, and heart and lung problems if the curvature compresses the chest cavity.

Scoliosis is usually diagnosed through physical examination and confirmed with X-rays. Treatment options depend on the severity of the curvature and the age of the individual. Mild cases might only require periodic monitoring, while more severe cases may necessitate braces or surgery to correct the curvature and prevent further progression. Early detection is crucial in managing scoliosis effectively and preventing it from worsening over time.

What is Orthopedics?

Orthopedics performs the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal diseases, trauma injuries, hand, shoulder, elbow, knee disorders. Arthroplasty, hand, knee, shoulder, elbow, foot and ankle surgery are the main sub-branches of orthopedics. It is also possible to benefit from micro surgery in hand surgery applications performed within orthopedics. The sub-branches of the orthopedics department do not consist of only surgical intervention. Besides these; sports traumatology, lengthening, leg inequality, pediatric orthopedics and traumatology, orthopedic oncology and osteitis are among the sub-branches of orthopedics. Diseases are detected by listening to the patient's complaints, obtaining information about the patient's history and whether there is a hereditary condition in the family and physically examining the patient.