Scoliosis affects as many as 9 million people (2-3% of the population) in the United States and it’s often diagnosed in early adolescence. Scoliosis is an abnormal curve in the spine and it’s severity is determined by the degree of curvature, with 10-24 degrees being mild, 25-49 degrees being moderate, and over 50 degrees being severe. The curvature can typically get worse during puberty due to the child growing rapidly during that time.
The most common cause of scoliosis is unknown but other causes include congenital birth defects and neuromuscular disorders. Scoliosis can lead to:
• Dysfunction of the spine
• Accelerated disc degeneration and wear-and-tear on the spine
• Chronic neck and back pain
• Headaches or migraines
• Decreased rib function, which can make breathing less efficient
• Organ dysfunction with more severe cases
What are the treatments for scoliosis?
Often, people with mild to moderate scoliosis will not seek formal treatment. Other people with more severe cases will most likely get recommended to have surgery. Other potential treatments include bracing, exercises to try to balance and strengthen the muscles of the spine, pain management, education, and chiropractic care.
Regardless of the severity of the scoliosis, everyone can benefit with chiropractic care, whether it be decreasing pain, improving flexibility and function, or decreasing tightness. These benefits can help to overall manage your scoliosis and get you functioning better. Give us a call and we’ll see how we can help you. We also offer x-rays to evaluate your spine.