Q: Good evening ma’am. My back is bent and I am 18 years. Please, help me. What can I do?

A: Hi dear, thanks for writing in. I’m sorry to hear about your problem. Though you did not mention the direction of bend, let’s see if we can make sense of it though.

Your backbone is not exactly straight, in its normal form because it curves forwards as it runs up your back. There are three types of disorders that can affect the backbone:
Kyphosis, a condition in which the forward curvature of the backbone is exaggerated. In local parlance, people with this condition are said to have hunch/hump back.

Lordosis, a condition in which there is an exaggerated inward curve at the lower back. This is the typical gait of a pregnant woman.

Scoliosis, a condition in which there is a marked sideways curvature of the spine, such that the people with this condition appear to have an S-shaped spine.

Symptoms of kyphosis include:
• Hump at the upper back
• The head is usually bent forward when compared to the rest of the body

Causes of kyphosis include:
• Osteoporosis also known as brittle bones.
• Poor posture
• Infections of the spine
• Tumours (growths) of the spine
• Arthritis
• Birth defect

Treatment for kyphosis includes:
• Exercises and physical therapy
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Wearing back brace
• Surgery

Symptoms of lordosis include:
• Exaggerated gap between back and floor when lying down
• Back pain

Causes of lordosis include:
• Obesity
• Inflammation of the disc space between the spinal bones
• Osteoporosis, also known as brittle bones. For more on this topic, please click on https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/06/01/daily-health-tips-do-i-need-milk/ and https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/06/13/watch-the-dr-ketch-show-osteoporosis-brittle-bones/

Treatment options for lordosis include:
• Weight loss
• Anti-inflammatory medication to reduce swelling and pain
• Wearing back brace
• Exercise and physical therapy
• Surgery

Symptoms of lordosis include:
• Leaning towards one side
• Uneven shoulders as one appears higher than the other

Causes of scoliosis include:
• Inheritance: This tends to run in families
• Birth defect
• Injury
• Infection
• Some cases also do not appear to have any specific cause especially the most common type in teenagers.

Treatment options for scoliosis include:
• Observation, if the defect is slight
• Back brace, for adolescents and children to prevent curve from getting worse.
• Surgery

So, please see an orthopaedic surgeon who will diagnose your specific case and advice on options available to you.

All the best.
Have a great weekend, everyone 😀