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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.
This condition can lead to excess pressure on the spine, causing pain and discomfort. [5] If the spine is bent too far, a patient may have difficulties breathing because of the pressure of the spine pressed against the lungs. Camptocormia may also lead to muscle weakness in the upper back and to arthritis and other bone-degeneration diseases. [5]
If the patient stops breathing in (as the gallbladder is tender and, in moving downward, comes in contact with the examiner's fingers) and winces with a "catch" in breath, the test is considered positive. In order for the test to be considered positive, the same maneuver must not elicit pain when performed on the left side. [citation needed]
Clinical findings include back pain, paraparesis, kyphosis, sensory disturbances, and bowel and bladder dysfunction. [5] Signs of associated extraskeletal tuberculosis include cough, expectoration, swollen lymp nodes, diarrhea, and abdominal swelling. [5] The earliest and most common symptom is back pain, which worsens with activity.
Symptoms for spinal tumors may vary due to factors such as the type of tumor, the region of the spine, and the health of the patient. Back pain is the most common symptom and it can be a problem if the pain is severe, has a time frame that lasts longer than it would for a normal injury, and becomes worse while laying down or at rest.
After positioning in which the patient sits upright with their arms at the side, with the chest clear of clothing, the four stages of the examination can be carried out. In order to listen to the lungs from the back the patient is asked to move their arms forward to prevent the scapulae (shoulder blades) from obstructing the upper lung fields.
Any pain in this area is considered "middle back pain". [2] The exact symptoms associated with middle back pain will depend upon the underlying cause. Most middle back pain is not serious in nature. However, it does tend to have more serious pathology associated with it than pain in the neck or low back. [3]
The first symptoms of stenosis include bouts of low back pain. After a few months or years, this may progress to claudication. The pain may be radicular, following the classic neurologic pathways. This occurs as the spinal nerves or spinal cord become increasingly trapped in a smaller space within the canal.