Neurogenic bladder disorder is an umbrella term that includes a number of urinary problems from incontinence to leakage, the inability to fully empty the bladder, frequent urinary urges, and loss of bladder control. While mild and moderate scoliosis cases aren't associated with urinary issues, severe, very severe, and untreated cases can involve urinary problems.
Urinary problems aren't considered a common effect of scoliosis and are most likely to develop in cases of severe thoracic, lumbar, or thoracolumbar scoliosis. There is a link between scoliosis and neurogenic bladder disorder due to related nerve compression and muscle weakness.
Let's start with how scoliosis can affect bladder function, and then move on to more common condition effects.
Scoliosis is a structural spinal condition that causes the development of an unnatural spinal curve that bends to the side and twists.
As a progressive condition, the nature of scoliosis is to become more severe over time, so symptoms can also change over time.
Awareness of the condition's early signs can lead to early detection and the benefit of starting treatment while conditions are still mild and can be highly treatable.
The main symptoms of scoliosis are postural changes and pain, but the more severe a condition is, the more symptoms and complications it can potentially cause.
Ranging from mild scoliosis to moderate and severe scoliosis, mild and moderate cases aren't closely associated with urinary problems, but in severe cases and/or scoliosis that's left untreated, urinary problems can develop as a related complication.
Additional complications associated with severe and untreated scoliosis can include chronic pain, migraines, digestive issues, and breathing problems.
Not all scoliosis patients will experience complications, particularly those undergoing proactive customized treatment, and while there are no treatment guarantees, the sooner treatment is started, the better.
If the spine bends and rotates unnaturally, this doesn't just affect the spine, but also its surroundings and nerves within, some of which can affect urinary function.
The spinal canal contains the spinal cord: a bundle of 31 pairs of spinal nerves that branch out from the spinal cord to the rest of the body, allowing for communication and control.
The spinal nerves facilitate movement, sensation, reflexes, and a number of autonomic responses.
Spinal nerves provide sensory input: transmitting sensory information like temperature and pain from various areas of the body to the spinal cord and the brain for processing and response.
The spinal nerves also provide motor output: transmitting motor commands from the spinal cord to muscles, controlling movement and involuntary reflexes.
The autonomic nervous system affects the bladder's ability to hold urine and fully empty the bladder; if spinal nerves involved in bladder function are being compressed, this means they are experiencing uneven pressure and can become irritated and/or damaged, disrupting their ability to transmit important information and/or function properly.
Scoliosis becomes a compressive condition in patients who have reached skeletal maturity, and as an asymmetrical condition, it can cause a misaligned spine and body.
If scoliosis is causing compression of the spinal nerves that are involved in bladder function, it can cause a number of bladder problems.
The health of the spine doesn't just affect movement and posture, it can also affect nerve communication as the spine and brain form the central nervous system (CNS).
Neurogenic bladder disorder includes a number of urinary problems caused largely by dysfunction in the nerves that control bladder function.
When the nerves that control the bladder aren't functioning properly, the disruption in communication can lead to the bladder becoming overactive or underactive.
When mild, scoliosis patients aren't likely to experience many overt symptoms and functional deficits, but in severe cases, or scoliosis that's been left untreated, symptoms can become noticeable and complications such as urinary problems can develop.
So can scoliosis cause urinary problems: yes, it can, but urinary problems are more closely associated with severe scoliosis cases that involve the middle/upper back as thoracic scoliosis, the lower spine as lumbar scoliosis, and/or a combined scoliosis that develops in the lower thoracic spine and the upper lumbar spine as thoracolumbar scoliosis.
If scoliosis develops in the upper spine, its direct effects are going to be felt in the upper body; if scoliosis develops in the lower back, it's more likely to directly affect the lower body.
Another potential way in which scoliosis can affect the urinary system is through the abnormal sideways curvature of the spine causing the development of a muscular imbalance.
If scoliosis develops in the middle/lower spine, it will largely affect the nerves and muscles of the lower body, and these are the nerves and muscles that are the most closely involved in bladder function.
The uneven forces of scoliosis don't just compress the spine and its nerves, but also the affected spinal section's surrounding muscles, and a common effect of scoliosis is the development of a muscular imbalance.
Scoliosis can cause the muscles on one side of the spine to become stretched due to overuse while muscles on the opposite side can become weak from lack of use, and this can also affect the pelvic floor muscles that provide bladder support.
If the pelvic floor muscles aren't functioning properly, bladder control and urinary incontinence issues can develop.
So scoliosis can cause neurogenic bladder disorder based on severity, nerve compression, and muscular imbalance.
One way to control the occurrence and severity of scoliosis symptoms is through proactive treatment.
Remember, urinary problems aren't considered common condition effects, but they can develop in severe scoliosis cases, and the best way to stop scoliosis from becoming severe is to treat it proactively.
If urinary incontinence does develop, this is a symptom of severe scoliosis, and to permanently restore bladder function, the condition itself has to be addressed as the underlying cause.
Most symptoms of scoliosis can be improved and/or reversed as the condition's structural nature is improved, and this can involve surgical or nonsurgical treatment.
As a CLEAR-certified scoliosis chiropractor, my patients benefit from a nonsurgical conservative treatment approach that's modern, innovative, and has proven results.
Through combining the power of a number of chiropractic techniques and manual adjustments, the spine's alignment can be improved by improving the position of the most unnaturally-tilted vertebrae at the curve's apex.
Improving the spine's alignment means taking pressure off the spine's nerves within, addressing nerve compression caused by the abnormal sideways curvature of the spine.
As the condition's underlying structural nature is being addressed, the focus is also on improving the spine's surrounding muscle strength and balance through physical therapy and scoliosis exercises.
Balancing and strengthening weak pelvic floor muscles can mean more bladder support and control, and while there are direct links between early detection and treatment success, even severe cases with urinary issues can work towards improvement.
Balancing and strengthening the core and back muscles also means a spine that has more support, stability, improved posture, and a spine and body that's more balanced.
Scoliosis affects the body in a number of ways and symptoms are shaped by a number of factors.
When it comes to scoliosis and urinary incontinence, neurogenic bladder disorder is not considered a common symptom, but in severe cases, it can develop due to advanced levels of nerve compression and muscular imbalance.
As a progressive condition, scoliosis that's diagnosed as mild and doesn't come with noticeable symptoms is unlikely to stay that way without the help of proactive treatment that works towards preventing progression.
Progression means the unnatural spinal curvature is increasing, as are the condition's effects, and this makes the condition more complex to treat and more likely to need invasive surgical treatment.
A main goal of nonsurgical conservative treatment options is to help patients avoid the potential risks and effects of scoliosis surgery; another goal is to help patients avoid the challenges of progression and the development of complications, like disruptions to the urination process.
An abnormal spinal curvature should always be taken seriously, and in many cases, neurogenic bladder disorder can be avoided if the condition is being addressed proactively and effectively; that means progression is counteracted successfully and conditions won't become severe enough to develop those types of symptoms.
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