Doctors' Answers to "Frequently Asked Questions" - Curvature of the Spine


These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.

Accolate
Question: I am 48 yrs. Old, can this be the cause of headaches, sinus, allergies? Is this fixable in todays society? I heard of inserting a metal rod in your spine, is this possible?

Answer: “Curvature of the spine” can have several meanings, each associated with varying significance. In brief, health care providers break down the spine into four parts extending from the head to the lower back. The “cervical” spine is in the neck, below which is the “thoracic” spine in the mid-and upper back. Below this is the “lumbar” spine in the lower back, and then in the region just below this, there is the “sacrum”. Curvature of the spine has a different meaning, and poses different problems to the patient and health care provider, depending on where in the spine it occurs, and to what extent. Furthermore, the direction of the curvature is also important, as several portions of the spine are a supposed to have a mild front to back curvature. Certain types of headaches, particularly those that affect the back of the head and upper neck (“occipital headaches”) can be caused by disease of the cervical spine (but not all headaches of this type are due to disease of the spine, and not all patients with disease of the spine get headaches). There are a variety of diseases that affect the spine and result in symptoms, including disk disease, fracture, loss of bone density due to poor diet and age, as well as changes that are simply due to the aging process. The treatment of spinal problems depends heavily on the severity, location, and type of problem the patient is experiencing. An evaluation by your health care provider would be helpful. He or she can perform a history and physical, and determine what course action would be best for you, so as to improve your symptoms.
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