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Scoliosis: what is it and how can you treat it?

Edward Anderson on September 5, 2023

Scoliosis — Scoliosis is a condition in which the spine bends abnormally sideways, forming a C or S shape.

It can occur in children, adolescents, or adults and can be congenital, idiopathic (for unknown reasons), or associated with other diseases or injuries.

Symptoms might range from misplaced shoulders or hips to back pain and visible deformity.

A physical examination and imaging studies are utilized to make a diagnosis.

Treatment methods may include monitoring, bracing, physical therapy, exercise, pain management, or surgery, depending on the severity.

Early detection and treatment are crucial for successful scoliosis management.

How to identify scoliosis

Scoliosis can be identified by uneven shoulders or hips, asymmetry of the back, apparent deformity, or bending to one side.

As a result of the incorrect curvature of the spine, a person may have back pain or muscle imbalances.

Assume you or someone you know is experiencing any of the following symptoms.

In this case, it is vital to get medical attention from a healthcare professional who can do a physical exam and order imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Controlling scoliosis and preventing consequences requires early detection and treatment.

Dangers of scoliosis

Scoliosis is not necessarily deadly, but it can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life.

In severe situations, scoliosis can cause pain, discomfort, and deformity, leading to mental anguish, self-consciousness, and a reduced capacity to participate in physical activities.

Awkward spine curvature can also impede lung function and cause breathing issues, especially if it involves the ribs.

Furthermore, if left untreated, scoliosis can develop and expand, increasing the risk of complications.

In severe circumstances, scoliosis can induce spinal cord compression, nerve damage, and even paralysis.

As a result, early detection and treatment are crucial for avoiding development and controlling symptoms successfully.

Children and teenagers are especially vulnerable to the negative effects of scoliosis because abnormal curvature can hinder growth and development.

As a result, it is vital that parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals understand the signs and symptoms of scoliosis and seek quick medical attention if they suspect their child is suffering from it.

Letting it run undiagnosed

Scoliosis can progress and become more severe over time if left untreated.

This can result in a variety of unfavorable outcomes, including increased pain and discomfort, reduced mobility, and visible deformity.

In severe situations, scoliosis can cause spinal cord or nerve root compression, resulting in neurological symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or paralysis in the arms or legs.

Scoliosis can also impact lung function, resulting in breathing problems and decreased exercise capacity.

Misdiagnosed and untreated scoliosis can result in mental distress and a reduced quality of life over time.

As a result, it is vital to get medical attention if you suspect you or someone you know has scoliosis.

What to do when it gets bad

If you are experiencing significant discomfort as a consequence of undiscovered scoliosis, it is vital that you get medical attention from a healthcare professional as soon as possible.

Pain management approaches include over-the-counter pain relievers, physical therapy, and other conservative therapies for discomfort.

Rest, avoiding aggravating activities, and maintaining appropriate posture may all be useful.

However, it is vital to address the underlying cause of the pain by acquiring an accurate diagnosis and developing a treatment plan tailored to your specific condition.

Delaying therapy for scoliosis can result in increased discomfort and serious difficulties, therefore it is vital to get medical help as soon as possible to address the pain and manage the condition effectively.

Treatment

Treatment techniques for scoliosis vary based on the degree of curvature and may include:

Monitoring
Bracing
Physical therapy
Exercise
Pain management
Surgery

If scoliosis is detected early, conservative therapies such as physical therapy and bracing may prevent further curvature progression.

Physical therapy can help you improve your posture, increase your flexibility, and strengthen the muscles that support your spine.

Bracing can also help to stop further progression in some cases, especially in children and adolescents who are still growing.

While conservative treatments are usually used to treat scoliosis, surgery may be necessary in severe cases to correct the curvature and stabilize the spine.

Early detection and treatment are crucial for effectively treating scoliosis and preventing potential complications.

Cancer in mice was reduced 90% with battery study

Claire Peterson on September 5, 2023

Cancer — A person’s presence can drain a room’s energy in a number of ways.

A person who is always negative, criticizing, or moaning, for example, may have a bad impact on the attitude and morale of others around them.

Someone who is really apprehensive or stressed out may emanate a tight or unpleasant energy that affects others.

Furthermore, a person who dominates conversations or takes up a lot of physical space in a room may produce discomfort or suffocation for others in the room..

These are only a few examples of how a person’s demeanor or behavior may alter the ambiance in a room, and it is vital to be aware of how our actions influence others around us.

While this may be distressing for people, it is considered a fantastic idea if a battery can do the same for a tumor.

Batteries and tumors

A mouse study discovered that encircling a tumor with a tiny self-charging battery can take oxygen from the cancer cell’s surrounding, enhancing the efficiency of cancer therapy.

In the March 31 issue of Science Advances, researchers reported that mice had small batteries wrapped around their breast cancer tumors.

In two weeks, when combined with cancer therapy, the tumor volume decreased by 90%.

Solid tumors, such as breast cancer, commonly expand, growing faster than the blood supply can keep up with.

Many tumors’ cores may be hypoxic, with lower oxygen levels than the surrounding tissue, due to growth.

Hypoxia

Yongyao Xia, a materials scientist at Fudan University in Shanghai who specializes in battery materials, said:

“Hypoxia is a double-edged sword.”

Low oxygen levels in tumors indicate that the body’s immune cells are unable to survive long enough to eliminate the malignant cells.

Furthermore, Fan Zhang, a biomedical materials researcher at Fudan University, noted that hypoxic cells resist radiation and traditional chemotherapies due to insufficient blood flow to provide a deadly dose.

Xia and Zhang assert in a new study:

“On the other hand, it provides a target for precision treatment of tumors.”

Prodrugs

Hypoxia may operate as a signaling molecule for compounds known as hypoxia-activated prodrugs.

According to Qin Zhang, a molecular biologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, chemotherapeutic drugs are linked to a linking molecule that ensures the treatment is only active in low-oxygen settings.

Clinical trials of hypoxia-activated prodrugs, on the other hand, demonstrated no benefits.

The researchers believe this is because the solid tumors against which they were deployed were either not hypoxic or were not hypoxic enough.

Xia and Fan Zhang sought to find a way to make tumors more hypoxic so that prodrugs had a better chance of functioning.

The batteries

The researchers and their colleagues employed a tiny, flexible battery that could partially wrap around a tumor.

It charges itself with a zinc electrode by drawing oxygen from its environment, resulting in very reactive oxygen pairs that might damage DNA.

However, they are not a viable supply of oxygen for cells.

The tumors in the mice decreased by roughly 26% of their original size two weeks after the battery was implanted.

It may accomplish this by absorbing the vast majority of available oxygen and producing a significant number of reactive oxygen pairs.

Shrinking the tumor

When combined with a hypoxia-activated prodrug, the average tumor size was decreased by 90%.

“I think the concept, the scientific basis, is solid,” said Qin Zhang.

He also remarked that, while the findings are encouraging, they are still in their early stages.

The batteries were only used on mice and only against mouse-specific breast cancer.

“It has to be tested in several breast cancer models and also has to be tested in other cancer models,” Zhang said, referring to humans.

He also claimed that a 90% reduction in tumor size is not the same as a 100% reduction.

“There’s still 10 percent left,” he said.

If the cells survive, it might mean they are resistant to hypoxia, allowing the tumor to develop again.

Zhang added that, like many other therapies, it would need to be combined with others to ensure total tumor eradication.

Xia, Fan Zhang, and his colleagues are thinking about ways to make the battery more flexible and powerful for human-sized tumors, using battery energy to suck air and starve cancer.

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