By NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute

01/18/2021 If you have a tendency to hunch forward, you may have a condition call thoracic kyphosis. More colloquially called a hunchback, the condition may or may not be painful, but can lead to significant back problems and other issues with your internal organs. This spinal deformity is treatable when you rely on the experience and dedication of a highly reputable spine surgeon at NU-Spine in Edison, New Jersey. Call on Dr. Branko Skovrlj for a diagnosis. He can find the cause of your hunchback and provide solutions that have you feeling and looking your best.

What Is Thoracic Kyphosis?
Thoracic kyphosis — sometimes referred to as roundback or hunchback — is a condition where the middle of your spine, called the thoracic spine, curves abnormally outward. This forces you to bend forward unnaturally. When you have thoracic kyphosis, it causes back pain, difficulty performing the activities of daily living and even mental and emotional problems.

Thoracic kyphosis is more commonly seen as an ongoing problem in older adults as a degenerative condition that continues to worsen. But it’s also common among teenagers. These young adults often undergo treatment to reduce the pain and consequences before their kyphosis can cause permanent damage.

Only an experienced back surgeon, such as Dr. Branko Skovrlj can tell you if you need corrective spine surgery for the condition. Dr. Skovrlj is the founding spine surgeon at NU-Spine: The Spine Center in Edison, New Jersey. He and his staff have created a spine-centric practice with all the attest technology to complement his vast knowledge and experience.

What Causes Thoracic Kyphosis?
It takes an expert like Dr. Skovrlj to trace back the case of your thoracic kyphosis. It may be genetic, from an injury or lifestyle-based reason. Some of the different causes of thoracic kyphosis include:

• Broken bones
• Poor posture
• Spinal stress from work or a repeated activity
• Birth defects
• Thoracic deformity
• Degenerative diseases
• Muscle weakness
• Osteoporosis
• Cancer treatments
• Scheuermann’s disease

Thoracic kyphosis is typically detected through the use of a Debrunner kyphometer, which measures the angle of your back in precise mathematical terms. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, your NU-Spine doctor effectively charts a course for treatment. Your treatment depends on the specifics of your diagnosis. For example:

• Some forms of the condition, like postural kyphosis, have much more to do with your lifestyle and posture habits.
• Some diseases, like Scheuermann’s disease, have an onset during puberty and can affect people with previously healthy spines.
• Other hunchback conditions are congenital, meaning that you’ve had them since birth.