What Is Scoliosis?
The Scoliosis Reduction Center indicates that up to seven million Americans live with scoliosis. Scoliosis is a spinal condition affecting 2 to 3 percent of the population. This condition refers to a spine that is curved abnormally to the side. To diagnose a patient with scoliosis, a measurement called a Cobb angle is used to draw intersecting lines from the tops and bottoms of the most uneven vertebrae of the curvature. This angle is measured in degrees and uses a scale to determine the severity of the condition. A patient must have a minimum Cobb angle measurement of 10 degrees to be diagnosed with scoliosis. There may not be a cure, but chiropractic care can help people better manage their pain, discomfort, and any health issues related to their condition. Now that you know what scoliosis is, let’s take a look at how chiropractic can help patients with scoliosis.
Common Symptoms of Scoliosis
Like any health condition, the symptoms will vary for each person. Around 90 percent of those with scoliosis have a spine curvature that is not severe enough to require surgery. However, this group experiences significant pain due to how scoliosis affects the body’s anatomy. In severe cases, a patient’s spine will rotate from front to back and cause a side-to-side curve. This can make the rib cage appear more prominent than the other.
Common Symptoms include:
- Clothes appear to hang unevenly
- Chronic back pain
- Chronic muscle spasms
- Difficulty breathing
- Uneven hips, shoulders, or waist
How Can Chiropractors Help People with Scoliosis?
Chiropractors are highly trained at identifying and addressing scoliosis. These health experts perform gentle, safe adjustments to reduce pain, discomfort, and other health issues related to a patient’s condition. This holistic care is drug-free, non-invasive, and safe at reducing any pressure placed on the patient’s nervous system and strengthening the patient’s body. Indeed, chiropractors can improve the patient’s spine alignment, posture, and overall quality of life.
For scoliosis patients, the spine is in an unnatural position. This may cause muscle strain and pain in the back, neck, shoulders, and hips. Luckily, a chiropractic adjustment can reduce this muscle strain. In turn, this will increase blood flow to those sore muscles and decrease any pain or inflammation. Unlike preventative care, it’s recommended that patients receive routine adjustments to maximize the chiropractic benefits for their conditions.
The chiropractic may also recommend tips to:
- Exercise to reduce or remove pain
- Strengthen the body and provide better joint support
- Improve the ability to take deep breaths
- Stay active without worsening symptoms
Evaluation and Treatment Plan
When you have your first appointment, your chiropractor will meet with you, discuss your health needs, and create a custom treatment plan to treat your condition. The chiropractor will discuss your family and medical history, as well as conduct a physical exam. This appointment may include some manipulation of the spine and neck to determine your range of motion. If necessary, the chiropractor will request your medical records from our doctor regarding your diagnosis. The chiropractor will also ask about your scoliosis symptoms and how it impacts your everyday life. Based on this information, they will create a treatment plan to meet your health needs, budget, and lifestyle. Your chiropractor will reference this plan to measure your progress and adjust it as needed.
Customized Treatment
Depending on the severity and symptoms of your condition, your chiropractor may recommend that you receive a few adjustments per week. This may be required to help your spine slowly adjust to the new positions from chiropractic care. Your chiropractor may also recommend some at-home exercises, physical therapy, and doctor visits. This will help ensure your treatment plan is working well and is helping you better manage your scoliosis.
Maintenance Care
As you start to feel better and find it easier to function in daily life, your chiropractor may suggest you transition to maintenance care. This is when you only receive occasional adjustments, such as once or twice every month. Based on your schedule and budget, this may be scheduled or on an as-needed basis. Indeed, maintenance care will help you maintain a healthy spine alignment, reduce your pain, and help you better manage your condition on a long-term basis.
Looking for a Chiropractor Near You?
We hope you found this week’s article helpful discussing how chiropractic care can help treat scoliosis. If you or a loved one has this condition, it’s important to know that you don’t have to live in pain. There may not be a cure, but you can achieve optimal health and better manage pain associated with this spinal condition. Contact Awaken Chiropractic today, the best chiropractor in Parker, CO. We would love to help you awaken your health through our advanced chiropractic care.
