Every June is National Scoliosis Awareness Month and its goal is to highlight the need for education and early detection of this condition. Scoliosis is one of those conditions you might have heard about but not really know exactly what the pain and health dangers it encompasses. You might also not know how chiropractors can do for those who have scoliosis.
About 3% of people in the United States has scoliosis of some form, some people are born with it, others get it with age. Around 90% of people with scoliosis doesn’t have it as severe as to require surgery, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be painful.
What Is Scoliosis?
Simply put, scoliosis is a disorder that causes an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine or backbone. It affects about 2% of females and 0.5% for males. The causes are, in most cases, unknown. There are different types of scoliosis, like:
- Infantile Idiopathic Scoliosis: when the person affected by it is less than 3 years old.
- Juvenile Idiopathic Scoliosis: when the person is between 3 and 10 years old.
- Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: when the person is between 10 and 18 years old.
Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common type of scoliosis, more than 80% of people have, mostly adolescent girls in the thoracic spine.
Common Symptoms of Scoliosis
Normally, the vertebrae in your spine form a straight line from the bottom of the back to the top of the neck. In the case of your spine curves forming an “S” shape or “C” shape, then you have scoliosis.
The symptoms depend on the degree of your curvature, they can be:
When the spine curvature gets worse, the vertebrae may begin to press on your nerves, and maybe even your organs. This can lead to breathing problems, heart issues, and even digestive issues. In the worst cases, it can lead to limited mobility and physical deformity.
How Scoliosis Affects Children
Scoliosis can present itself in children during their growth spurts before they enter their teenage years. Most of them only have mild curvatures and may never need treatment. Like we mentioned above, the cause of scoliosis is not always possible to know. But, it may happen after an injury affecting the spine, or if your child has muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy.
Scoliosis is usually detected in children during their annual wellness exams. Pediatricians don’t normally recommend treatment unless the curvature goes beyond 30 degrees. These treatments might be needed if that’s the case:
- Physical therapy: To strengthen the muscles supporting the back and improve their flexibility.
- Wearing a brace: if your child uses it while they still growing it can stop the curvature from progressing even more.
How Scoliosis Affects Adults
If you had scoliosis as a child it can continue to impact your life when you’re an adult. As you get older, your curvature can get worse and it can trigger back pain and muscle cramps. Your nerves can become pinched and you could experience leg numbness.
Adults who develop scoliosis for the first time can experience the discs that cushion their spine to start breaking down or you can develop arthritis. The most common treatments for this include chiropractic care, physical therapy, and the use of braces.
How A Chiropractor Can Help Treat Scoliosis
Chiropractic care can help you reduce pain related to scoliosis in both children and adults. When your vertebrae are misaligned, they can put pressure on your nerves and cause pain. You can also experience muscle tension and spasms if your spine is not aligned properly.
This is where Chiropractic treatment comes in handy. Chiropractic treatments improve your spinal alignment and can decrease inflammation, improve your nerve functions, and increase flexibility.
Chiropractic care is the most simple and natural way to help you manage your scoliosis symptoms.
Mauricio Chiropractic: The Best Orlando Area Chiropractor For Scoliosis
At Mauricio Chiropractic, we are part of National Scoliosis Awareness Month and we want to help you! Here, we address the master control system of the body. Using state of the art technology to locate the root of your problems, we will guarantee you’ll leave feeling better. Schedule an appointment here today!
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We provide advanced spinal correction utilizing “state of the art” chiropractic techniques. Never in the history of chiropractic have we been able to provide the level of help and expertise that now exists. These newer correction methods are even safer, more comfortable and more effective than ever before. As Doctors of Chiropractic,Our Team has years of training and experience in spinal adjustment.