Plenty of us have been berated by our parents to sit and walk straight. As kids, most of us have had a hunchback. But we rectified it and moved on whilst our parents pushed us to do so.

Why is it essential to sit and walk straight?

Phychologically speaking, we judge a person by the way they walk and talk. Undoubtedly we will choose a person who looks confident and walks straight ahead over a person who looks timid and with a slight stoop.

Therefore, it is safe to say that a hunchback can say a lot about one’s personality. Thus the reason why we have all been slapped on the back by our mothers!

But while we nonchalantly speak about it, do you know that a hunchback is an actual disorder affecting people of almost all age groups.

Let us dig deeper and try to understand this condition in more depth.

Know more about Kyphosis

Kyphosis is a medical condition that implies a hunchback, meaning to say, bending of the upper back forwards.

We often see old people with a hunchback and blame age for it. Surprisingly, this condition can be seen even in children and adults.

Kyphosis can majorly affect one’s posture and way of walking. It can gravely affect the status of the spinal cord and the vertebral column.

Causes of Kyphosis

The foundation of our back posture and spinal cord is the vertebral column. Therefore, kyphosis occurs when the vertebrae are mutilated.

The reasons that can be cited are :

Age-related – with the advancement in age, there is degeneration that naturally occurs and old people experience compression of the upper back.
Women – postmenopausal females are usually affected with osteoporosis which can pose a factor for kyphosis.
Accidents – trauma affecting and injuring the vertebrae can affect the posture and cause degeneration and compression of the upper back
Scheuermann’s disease – it is also called juvenile kyphosis, is a condition that can be explained as exaggerated kyphosis that occurs before puberty due to wedging of the vertebrae and disc.
Complications – it can occur as a complication of another disease affecting the bones. Also if the baby is born with underdeveloped vertebrae and spinal cord, then kyphosis can occur.

Now let us find out the symptoms of kyphosis.

Signs and Symptoms of Kyphosis

The symptoms with which a patient of kyphosis presents are mentioned below :

mild to severe back pain depending on the grade of kyphosis
Restrained movements due to deformity of the vertebral column
Inability to sit for long hours and drive for excessive hours.
The frailty of the back muscles
Difficulty while lying down in a straight position
Difficulty while gaping upwards

These are some of the symptoms that can be seen, but the range of symptoms varies with age, cause of kyphosis, and health status of the patient.

Ayurveda treatment for kyphosis

There is nothing that Ayurveda cannot treat. Though it is known for its preventive medicines, Ayurveda also cures diseases of varying ranges with the same vigor.

Kyphosis has been correlated as a condition of asthi kshaya. Ayurveda stresses improving the health and strength of the bones and also intends on relaxing the compressed bones. The treatments that can be adopted are :

Patra potali sweda
Churna pinda sweda
Abhyanga – dry massage and medicated oil massage

Certain exercises and practicing yoga relieves the stress on the underlying nerves and muscles and also strengthens the bones of the back.

AyurVAID Approach

Ayurveda, the ancient science of medicine has explicitly mentioned various diseases along with their symptoms and probable methods of cure. It is astonishing to note the fact that the scholars of Ayurveda studied and explained all the diseases that we commonly find today.

Resuming the topic of kyphosis, can we correlate it with Ayurveda?

Ayurveda runs on the belief of tridoshas namely vata, pitta, and kapha. Along with tridoshas, it believes in the fact that sapta dhatus (7 tissue elements) also aid in the proper functioning of the body.

The sapta dhatus are :

Rasa
Rakta
Mamsa
Medas
Asthi
Majja
Shukra

Out of the seven tissue elements, one of the elements is the asthi dhatu which implies the bone tissue element. It is this asthi dhatu that helps in the timely and proper formation of bones in our body. The scriptures of Ayurveda have mentioned the effects of depleted and aggravated dhatus in our bodies.

As we know for a fact that kyphosis occurs due to degeneration and compression of bone of the upper back, we can construe kyphosis as a condition of asthi kshaya (decreased asthi dhatu).

Having attained various awards and honors, AyurVaid has only tried to improve the quality of treatments. Being ardent followers of Ayurveda, the physicians of AyurVaid implement an integrative form of management for their patients. Having a history of treating lakhs of patients, AyurVaid has left an invincible mark on each patient’s life.

From diagnosing the condition to mapping out the appropriate treatment protocol, the panel of physicians in AyurVaid performs each of their actions with the utmost conviction and generosity.

Aiding all their patients and listening to all their plies, AyurVaid has done it all and continues to do so.

What more does one want when you can find solutions to all your queries and inconveniences at AyurVaid, where you not only leave with a healthy body but also a calm soul?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the medical term used for hunchbacks?

Kyphosis is the medical term used for patients with hunchbacks.

Is kyphosis age limited?

No, kyphosis can occur at any age. Ranging from children to old people, kyphosis can affect people of any age

What are the symptoms of kyphosis?

The symptoms with which a patient of kyphosis presents are mentioned below :

● mild to severe back pain depending on the grade of kyphosis
● Restrained movements due to deformity of the vertebral column
● Inability to sit for long hours and drive for excessive hours.
● The frailty of the back muscles
● Difficulty while lying down in a straight position
● Difficulty while gaping upwards

How can kyphosis be explained in Ayurveda?

In Ayurveda, kyphosis can be correlated as a condition of asthi dhatu kshaya (depleted bone tissue element) as it occurs due to the degeneration of bones of the upper back.

Can kyphosis be permanently treated?

Yes, kyphosis can be permanently treated with Ayurvedic treatments like :

● Patra potali sweda
● Churna pinda sweda
● Abhyanga - dry massage and medicated oil massage

Certain exercises and practicing yoga relieves the stress on the underlying nerves and muscles and also strengthens the bones of the back.

Kyphosis