What is Scoliosis? - A Brief Intro

In this post, I give a brief introduction to scoliosis, a lifelong condition that has affected me since I was 12.

My X-rays from 2013 (R) and my X-rays from 2016 (L)

I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was 12. I've talked a lot about the condition before, but you may not know exactly what scoliosis is.

An Irreversible, Chronic Condition

Scoliosis is an irreversible spinal disorder condition where the spine has a sideways curve. It affects between 2 to 3% of the American population (6 to 9 million people).

The ideal spine should be 0 degrees, but my top (thoracic) curve is 68 degrees, and my bottom (lumbar) curve is 79. My condition is considered severe, although I won’t get into the health/living day-to-day aspects of the condition quite yet.

Three Types of Scoliosis

1. Idiopathic

• Around 90% of scoliosis cases are idiopathic, meaning the cause is unknown or is not readily identifiable. This is the kind that I have.

2. Congenital

•  You are born with a spinal defect which typically turns into a form of scoliosis.

3. Neuromuscular

•  Scoliosis develops secondary to a primary neurological or muscular disease.

Caused by Nature?

Scoliosis is oftentimes hereditary.

My grandfather had it, my mom has it, I have it, and now my sister is developing it too. My case might be caused by subluxation of the brain, essentially the brain being neurologically out of alignment and causing the spine to become misaligned. More on that later.

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