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Lordosis is historically defined as an abnormal inward curvature of the lumbar spine. [1] [2] However, the terms lordosis and lordotic are also used to refer to the normal inward curvature of the lumbar and cervical regions of the human spine. [3] [4] Similarly, kyphosis historically refers to abnormal convex curvature of the spine.
Kyphosis (from Greek κυφός (kyphos) 'hump') is an abnormally excessive convex curvature of the spine as it occurs in the thoracic and sacral regions. [1] [2] Abnormal inward concave lordotic curving of the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine is called lordosis.
Inspect for: normal cervical and lumbar lordosis and normal thoracic kyphosis. Whilst standing beside the patient place your index finger on one of the lumbar vertebral spinous processes, and your middle finger on the next one down and ask the patient to bend over and touch their toes, keeping their legs straight.
Looking directly at the front or back of the body, the 33 vertebrae in the spinal column should appear completely vertical. From a side view, the cervical (neck) region of the spine (C1–C7) is bent inward, the thoracic (upper back) region (T1–T12) bends outward, and the lumbar (lower back) region (L1–L5) bends inward.
Normal lumbar vertebra showing large, round spinal canal. The diagnosis is based on clinical findings. [7] Some patients can have a narrowed canal without symptoms, and do not require therapy. [citation needed] The normal lumbar central canal has a midsagittal diameter (front to back) greater than 13 mm, with an area of 1.45 cm 2. Relative ...
In cervical spondylosis, a patient may be presented with dull neck pain with neck stiffness in the initial stages of the disease. As the disease progresses, symptoms related to radiculopathy (due to compression of exiting spinal nerve by narrowed intervertebral foramen) or myelopathy (due to compression on the spinal cord) can occur. [2]
Spinal cord compression is a form of myelopathy in which the spinal cord is compressed. Causes can be bone fragments from a vertebral fracture, a tumor , abscess , ruptured intervertebral disc or other lesion.
Cervical canal stenosis may lead to myelopathy, a serious condition causing symptoms including major body weakness and paralysis. [14] Such severe spinal stenosis symptoms are virtually absent in lumbar stenosis , however, as the spinal cord terminates at the top end of the adult lumbar spine, with only nerve roots ( cauda equina ) continuing ...