Scoliosis
All human spines have curves - they're supposed to. It's what helps curve our shoulders and our hips and maintains the proper body posture as we move through the activities of daily living. But a condition in which the spine curves abnormally from side to side is called scoliosis. If allowed to progress, in advanced stages, it can lead to chronic severe pain, deformity, and difficulty breathing.
This condition of side-to-side spinal curves looks more like an "S" or a "C", rather than a straight line, when viewed on x-ray. Bones in a scoliotic spine also may have rotated, making the person's waist or shoulders appear uneven.
Scoliosis is often times hereditary, but usually "idiopathic", meaning its cause is unknown. It usually develops in middle to late childhood before puberty and is seen more often in young girls than boys. Although scoliosis can occur in both adults as well as children with cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, most scoliosis is found in otherwise healthy youngsters.
Scoliosis in children can go unnoticed because it is rarely painful in the formative years.
- Uneven shoulders
- Prominent shoulder blade(s)
- Elevated hips
- Uneven waist
- Leaning to one side
Scoliosis is not preventable, but detection and treatment during a child's growing years is the best way to prevent an existing problem from getting worse. Any one of the above signs warrants a scoliosis examination. Chiropractic is extremely effective in detection and treatment of scoliosis and can help your child avoid the painful symptoms that untreated scoliosis can cause.
Some Common Conditions Treated with Chiropractic Care