Scoliosis Signs, Symptoms, and Specifics
By Debra Rodzinak
Without any obvious symptoms, a curvature of the spine can go unnoticed. This curvature, called scoliosis, is not the regular curvature of the spine as seen from a person’s profile, but rather a curve that goes from shoulder to shoulder and is seen when looking at a person’s back.
Signs of Scoliosis
Scoliosis has several common symptoms to indicate its presence:
- One shoulder, hip, or side of the rib cage may be higher than the other
- One shoulder blade may stick out farther than the other
- The waist may look uneven or lopsided
- One leg may be shorter than the other
- The body may tilt to one side
For a definitive answer, an X-Ray can be taken to confirm the presence of scoliosis.
Symptoms of Scoliosis
Pain is not typically a symptom of scoliosis. If a child has back pain and scoliosis, it should not be assumed that the scoliosis is the root cause of the pain. With girls eight times more likely than boys to develop scoliosis, they have a tendency to develop a greater degree of progression. However, most of the scoliosis cases are slight and don’t need treatment.
Degenerative Scoliosis
A slow deterioration of the facet joints causes degenerative scoliosis. Just like osteoarthritis of the spinal joints, degenerative scoliosis causes the facet joints to crack and shift. The difference is that instead of tilting toward the front or back, the facet joints tilt from side to side causing the spine to curve to the side.
Pain, when present, comes gradually over time, tends to hurt more in the morning or later in the day, with pain present in the legs when standing or walking, and feels better when the patient is sitting.
Therapy and Chiropractic Treatments
To help relieve pain, treatments such as physical therapy, water therapy, and chiropractic manipulation are beneficial. Chiropractic manipulation allows the facet joints of the spine to become and remain flexible, which helps to reduced pain. Continued chiropractic treatments help prevent future pain.
If you have been identified with degenerative scoliosis and want to reduce current pain or prevent future pain, come by The Joint for a gentle spinal adjustment. With no pesky insurance forms to fill out or appointment times to remember, finding pain relief for degenerative scoliosis is easy and stress-free. With over 350 locations nationwide, extended weekday and weekend hours, and a team of experts, The Joint makes it possible to find a path to a pain free life without drugs or surgery.