Understanding Scoliosis and Scoliosis Treatment Options (Contd.)

Scoliosis treatment options should be discussed immediately after your chiropractor has given you a diagnosis.

Scoliosis can often affect teenage and pre-teen girls | (480) 892-0022
Scoliosis can often affect teenage and pre-teen girls | (480) 892-0022

What are the Symptoms of Scoliosis?

What are the symptoms of scoliosis?

Typical signs of scoliosis include:

  • having a visibly curved spine
  • uneven shoulders (having shoulder higher than the other)
  • one shoulder or hip is more prominent than the other
  • clothes worn do not hang properly on the body
  • a prominent ribcage
  • a difference in lengths of the legs

If you or your child exhibit these symptoms, you should make an appointment with your spinal health practitioner as soon as possible. They’ll examine your back and refer you for an X-ray for confirmation. Once scoliosis is detected, the physician will continue to monitor its curvature. It’s important to prevent severe curvature for the physical appearance and health of the patient. The progression of spinal curvature is measured in degrees. When curves exceed 50 degrees, they are more likely to progress in adulthood. High degrees of curvature put a person at risk of compromising their cardiopulmonary system. This is as the spine’s curve rotates the chest, closing down the space available for the lungs and heart. A curve that is allowed to progress to 70 to 90 degrees produces a disfiguring deformity.

Who Can Get Scoliosis?

Who can get scoliosis?  As we covered previously, the condition affects anybody. Initially it was thought to be limited to kids. It’s about two times more common in females than males. It can be seen at any age, though it’s most common in those above 10 years of age. In the UK, 4 out of every 1,000 children need treatment for scoliosis. 3% of Americans aged 16 have scoliosis. Most scoliosis curves are detected initially on school screening exams, by a family doctor or child’s pediatrician, or even by a parent. Only less than 0.1% of the cases have spinal curves that measure more than 40 degrees at which point surgery is then considered. Back pain is common in adults with scoliosis.

In most cases, scoliosis is not painful, but at times a person can experience back pain, rib pain, and abdominal pain. The more growth that a person has remaining increases the chances of scoliosis getting worse. That’s why the doctor will measure a person’s height and weight for comparison with future visits.

Just remember, scoliosis is not as bad as you might think.  Particularly in the area of scoliosis bracing, there has been a lot of exciting new developments.

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Pivonka Family Chiropractic
1355 S Higley Rd #102
Gilbert, AZ 85296
(480) 892-0022
https://correctscoliosis.com