Thousands Of Dallas-Area Residents Suffer From Undiagnosed Scoliosis, USA

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 16 May 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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About 130,000 teens and young adults that reside in the Dallas Fort-Worth area carry a debilitating, deforming disease with them every day - and in many cases don't know it. A simple, free screening can quickly determine whether children and teens are suffering from scoliosis, thanks to the Scoliosis Center of Excellence at Medical Center of Plano.

A dejected slouch. An awkward gait. A shuffling walk. To parents, these physical traits in their teens may appear to simply be an outward manifestation of low self-confidence, embarrassment or rebellion. But in truth, these symptoms may actually reveal a serious - and commonly undiagnosed - disease.

Scoliosis develops as an adolescent's spinal cord curves laterally, causing the back to develop compensatory upper curves to balance the body. Based on national statistics, Dr. Barton L. Sachs of the Scoliosis Center of Excellence believes there are thousands of Dallas-area residents who have scoliosis, but have gone undiagnosed. Around 3,000 of these live in Plano alone, said Dr. Sachs, medical director at the Scoliosis Center of Excellence at Medical Center of Plano.

To solve this problem, the Scoliosis Center of Excellence at Medical Center of Plano is offering free diagnostic scoliosis screenings the first Wednesday of each month by appointment for children and adolescents up to 18 years of age.

"Parents need to understand the serious nature of scoliosis and realize that a number of adolescents and adults are walking around with it every day, without realizing it," Dr. Sachs said. "Our hope is that parents will take advantage of our free screenings to determine whether they are at risk. For those affected by scoliosis, early detection can prevent acceleration of the disease and improve quality of life."

Affecting women eight times more often than men, scoliosis generally is only screened for early in adolescence. Since many adolescents are shy or embarrassed as their bodies grow and change, they may choose to hide deformities caused by the onset of scoliosis. Or, they may be unaware of the problem until symptoms such as back pain emerge. If left undiagnosed or untreated, scoliosis can lead to increasingly serious medical conditions, including diminished lung capacity or restrictive lung disease.

Signs of scoliosis parents can watch for include:

- Uneven shoulders or waist
- Protruding shoulder blades
- Serious degree of leaning to one side
- One hip noticeably higher than the other
- Head not centered directly above the pelvis

In response to the overwhelming number of scoliosis patients that go into adulthood undiagnosed, Dr. Sachs teamed with the Medical Center of Plano to open the Scoliosis Center of Excellence, one of a few select sites offering complete support for scoliosis and deformity correction in the country.

"In just one patient, we saw amazing physical and psychological improvements," Dr. Sachs said. "That created enough motivation for Medical Center of Plano to launch this program, which has the potential to help thousands more. Patients I've already worked with to launch this program were unable to get help from other doctors prior to coming to us."

The Scoliosis Center of Excellence at Medical Center of Plano is currently accepting patients and inquiries via http://www.medicalcenterofplano.com.

About Medical Center of Plano

Medical Center of Plano is a world-class medical facility providing Plano and Collin County with superior healthcare since 1975. A full-service, 427-bed acute-care facility with more than 1,300 employees and over 900 physicians on staff, representing over 70 specialties and subspecialties, Medical Center of Plano is located in the heart of Plano. The medical staff includes a diverse group of the best professionals dedicated and committed to using new technologies and keeping up-to-date on recent advancements in healthcare. Accredited by The Joint Commission, Medical Center of Plano became the first hospital in Collin County to achieve elite Magnet Recognition from the American Nurse's Association. Its Scoliosis Center of Excellence is among the premier sites for scoliosis and deformity correction surgery in the country.

Medical Center of Plano