Everything You Need To Know About Scoliosis

Living with scoliosis often has a negative effect on your day-to-day life as it affects everything from your posture and your level of physical activity to how your clothing fits and your mental health.

Uneven hips and shoulders, a tilted head, a slouched appearance, and uneven leg lengths are common symptoms of scoliosis. However, severe pain can also develop over time without treatment.

Although scoliosis is not curable, it is definitely treatable and there are natural treatments here at Spine Stop Chiropractic to manage scoliosis and subsequent symptoms.

What is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. Normally, the spine has a natural curve at the top of the shoulder and at the bottom of the back. However, scoliosis causes the spine to either curve side to side and/or appear in an “S” or “C” shape.

Affecting over 7 million people in the United States alone¹, scoliosis is most commonly first diagnosed in children and adolescents. However, adults can also develop scoliosis with symptoms ranging from mild to severe from a condition known as degenerative adult scoliosis.

Scoliosis is categorized into five types which include:

• Congenital – the spine did not form correctly before birth
• Degenerative – caused by wear and tear of the skeletal system (most common among adults)
• Neuromuscular – occurs when nerve abnormalities affect muscles surrounding the spine
• Syndromic – linked to one of a range of syndromes such as Marfan's syndrome (an inherited disorder that affects connective tissue)
• Adolescent idiopathic – causes curving and twisting of the spine as the child grows

What causes scoliosis?

Scoliosis is often considered a ‘mysterious’ condition because the cause may or may not be clearly identified. In fact, the most common type of scoliosis (Idiopathic scoliosis), in which there is no known cause, accounts for about 80% of all cases.

The remaining 20% of cases in which the cause is known are categorized as congenital scoliosis, neuromuscular scoliosis, and degenerative scoliosis.

• Congenital scoliosis is a malformation of one or more vertebrae (bones of the spine) that is present from birth.
• Neuromuscular Scoliosis develops from neurological or muscular diseases and may be associated with conditions such as cerebral palsy, spinal cord trauma, muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and spina bifida.
• Degenerative scoliosis is most common in adults over the age of 40 and can be caused by conditions such as osteoporosis, spondylolisthesis, and/or osteoarthritis. It can also be caused by degenerative changes associated with aging.

What are the symptoms of scoliosis?

Each case of scoliosis is as unique as you are. However, there are several signs and symptoms that may indicate the possibility of scoliosis including:

• The entire body leans to one side
• Uneven shoulders – one or both shoulder blades may stick out or not be level with each other
• Rotating spine
• Slouched or hunched-over appearance
• One or both hips are raised or unusually high causing an uneven waist
• Rib cages are located at different heights
• The appearance or texture of the skin overlying the spine changes (dimples, hairy patches, color abnormalities)
• Back pain
• Breathing issues

Children or teens who have scoliosis don’t generally experience pain. However, degenerative adult scoliosis can cause symptoms such as achiness and/or stiffness in the mid to low back, numbness and weakness in the leg, and pain in the hips, buttocks, legs, back, and neck.

In severe cases, scoliosis can also compress, pinch, or put pressure on your sciatic nerve and cause pain to radiate down your leg along with weakness, tingling, numbness, and pins and needles.

This is commonly known as sciatica and can negatively affect your way of life and activity level therefore treatment is essential to relieve and prevent scoliosis pain as well as prevent further damage to the spine.

How can chiropractic care help me?

With scoliosis being a spinal disorder, chiropractors are a great choice for the treatment and management of its symptoms due to their expertise in muscular-skeletal conditions and subsequent realignment of vital bodily systems.

Scoliosis is a unique condition with each symptom being unique to the individual. That is why our doctors at Spine Stop Chiropractic work to develop a plan that is personalized to your needs that is safe, effective, non-addictive, and non-invasive.

Using a natural approach to the treatment of scoliosis, our doctors work with you to determine the complexity of your condition and create a personalized treatment plan to reduce the severity of ongoing symptoms, prevent further degradation of the spine, and allow you to enjoy life to the fullest.

Chiropractic Benefits for Scoliosis Include:

• Decreased Muscle Inflammation
• Improved Respiratory Function
• Improved Posture
• Improved Sleep
• Reduction in Pain

Through targeted spinal adjustments and recommended lifestyle changes, our doctors can minimize the effects of scoliosis and provide a long-term solution to the condition through ongoing treatments.

If you or a loved one are suffering from sciatica, book an appointment today to see how our doctors can help restore your quality of life.

We understand that not everyone is familiar with chiropractic care, so all new patients receive a consultation, examination and if necessary, an x-ray. Then our doctors will review your condition and walk you through an easy-to-follow treatment plan that’s unique to you.

There’s no pressure when you visit our office. Our friendly staff want to answer any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.