What is lordosis?
Lumbar lordosis is the inward curve of the lumbar spine in the lower back. A small degree of lordosis (inward curvature) is normal. The spine in the neck also has lordosis (cervical lordosis).
Normal lumbar (lower spine) lordosis is not painful but if the posture of the person appears to be swayback (abnormal inward curve), they may experience back pain.
What causes lordosis?
Common causes of lumbar lordosis
- Discitis
- Obesity
- Kyphosis
- Osteoporosis
- Spondylolisthesis
Causes of lumbar lordosis in children
- Bad posture
- Previous spine surgery
- Pelvis or hip injury
- Congenital
- Genetics
- Dwarfism
- Other spine disorders
Causes lumbar lordosis in women during pregnancy
Lumbar lordosis in pregnancy is due, according to some researchers, to the spine adjusting itself to the center of gravity as the pregnancy weight gain causes abdominal enlargement. It may shift again after the woman delivers the baby.
What are the symptoms of lordosis?
Symptoms and signs of lumbar lordosis (lordotic spine) may include:
- The appearance of being swayback or abnormal posture with an arched lower spine
- Buttocks appear more pronounced
- Having a large gap or arch between the lower back and a flat surface when lying on your back
- Discomfort and/or back pain
- Difficulty in moving in certain directions
Some people may develop nerve problems (numbness/tingling of lower extremities, poor bladder control, weakness, electric shock-like pains).
Diagnosis of lordosis
Procedures and tests to diagnose lumbar lordosis are the histories and physical exams are used to diagnose lordosis. Other studies, such as X-rays and/or CT of the spine can also aid in the diagnosis.
What are the treatments for lordosis?
Mild forms of lordosis may require little or no treatments. Children can sometimes outgrow the problem. These treatments may help to fix, correct and/or reverse to cause straightening of lumbar lordosis.
- Pain medication
- Daily exercise or physical therapy
- Weight loss
- Use of a brace
- Supplements like vitamin D
- Surgery
What is the prognosis for lordosis?
The prognosis for lumbar lordosis depends on how mild to severe are the symptoms and the underlying cause. Mild lordosis in children, for example, maybe cured over time without treatment while severe lordosis may require surgery. However; proper treatments may lead to symptom reduction, or in some people a "cure" or a reversal of lordosis back to normal or near normal.
Is it possible to prevent lordosis?
Lumbar lordosis may be prevented in some people by preventing certain causes such as obesity, poor posture, and trauma. Other causes such as congenital or genetic lordosis are not preventable.
QUESTION
What is another medical term for osteoporosis? See Answer<<https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/symptoms/lordosis-lumbar>
Top Lumbar Lordosis Lower Spine Related Articles
Back Pain Quiz
There are numerous causes of chronic lower back pain and only one ailment gets more complaints. What is it? Quiz your knowledge of symptoms, treatments, problems, and reasons for common back pain.
How to Build a Better Butt
Want a rear view that kicks butt? Discover the right exercises, cardio, and style choices that can help in the quest for the perfect butt.
CT Scan (Computerized Tomography)
A CT scan is an X-ray procedure that combines many X-ray images with the aid of a computer to generate cross-sectional and three-dimensional images of internal organs and structures of the body. A CT scan is a low-risk procedure. Contrast material may be injected into a vein or the spinal fluid to enhance the scan.
Childhood Obesity Quiz
Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Take the Childhood Obesity Quiz to test your knowledge of the facts and causes of overweight and obese kids and teens.
CT Scan vs. MRI
CT scan (computerized tomography) is a procedure that uses X-rays to scan and take images of cross-sections of parts of the body. CT scan can help diagnose broken bones, tumors or lesions in areas of the body, blood clots in the brain, legs, and lung, and lung infections or diseases like pneumonia or emphysema.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is a procedure that uses strong magnetic fields and radiofrequency energy to make images of parts of the body, particularly, the organs and soft tissues like tendons and cartilage.
Both CT and MRI are painless, however, MRI can be more bothersome to some individuals who are claustrophobic, or suffer from anxiety or panic disorders due to the enclosed space and noise, the machine makes.
MRI costs more than CT, while CT is a quicker and more comfortable test for the patient.
Exercise Quiz
Take our Exercise and Fitness Quiz and learn to maximize your fitness level with simple exercises that do not require major changes to your lifestyle.
Health and Sex: Exercises for Better Sex
Want to get more out of your time between the sheets? Add these exercises from this WebMD slide show to your workout routine. They're good for both men and women.
Lower Back Pain (Lumbar Spine Pain)
There are many causes of back pain. Pain in the low back can relate to the bony lumbar spine, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, muscles of the low back, internal organs of the pelvis, and abdomen, and the skin covering the lumbar area.
Low Back Pain Relief
Do you suffer from low back pain? Learn more about common triggers of lower back pain like posture, exercise, and spondylosis. Find out about pain relief treatments like massage, yoga, stretching, exercises for back pain, and chiropractic medicine. See when surgery for back pain makes sense.
Obesity and Overweight
Get the facts on obesity and being overweight, including the health risks, causes, reviews of weight-loss diet plans, BMI chart, symptoms, causes, surgical and nonsurgical treatments, and medications.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by the loss of bone density, which leads to an increased risk of bone fracture. Unless one experiences a fracture, a person may have osteoporosis for decades without knowing it. Treatment for osteoporosis may involve medications that stop bone loss and increase bone strength and bone formation, as well as quitting smoking, regular exercise, cutting back on alcohol intake, and eating a calcium- and vitamin D-rich balanced diet.
Osteoporosis Picture
Thinning of the bones with reduction in bone mass due to depletion of calcium and bone protein. See a picture of Osteoporosis and learn more about the health topic.
Stages of Pregnancy: Week by Week
See pictures on the various stages of pregnancy. See and learn what changes a woman's body goes through and view fetal images of how her baby grows during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with rickets, cancer, cardiovascular disease, severe asthma in children and cognitive impairment in older adults. Causes include not ingesting enough of the vitamin over time, having limited exposure to sunlight, having dark skin, and obesity. Symptoms include bone pain and muscle weakness. Treatment for vitamin D deficiency involves obtaining more vitamin D through supplements, diet, or exposure to sunlight.
Vitamins and Calcium Supplements
Vitamins are organic substances that are essential for the proper growth and functioning of the body. Calcium is a mineral essential for healthy bones and is also important for muscle contraction, heart action, and normal blood clotting. Check out the center below for more medical references on vitamins and calcium supplements, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
What Is a Lumbar Facetectomy?
A lumbar facetectomy is a surgical procedure to relieve the pressure on the nerve roots that pass close to the facet joints of the lumbar spine in the low back. During a lumbar facetectomy the surgeon partially or entirely removes the affected facet joints in the lumbar region of the spine.
What Is the Recovery Time for a Discectomy?
A spinal discs act as shock absorbers and allow the spine to flex. When a disc ruptures (herniates) it prolapses and presses on the nearby nerves causing pain, numbness, and weakness. A discectomy to remove part or all of the damaged disc requires up to a month of recovery, depending on the patient and severity of the condition.
X-Rays
X-rays are a powerful form of electromagnetic radiation that can pass through solid objects. In medicine, X-rays are used to obtain an image of a part of the body. X-rays are necessary to diagnose many illnesses, for example, tumors, arthritis, dental problems, digestive or heart problems, and bone fractures. The side effects, dangers, and risks of having X-rays while pregnant or breastfeeding are provided.