Scoliosis and Chiropractic
Our body works hard to keep our posture straight and in line. Our nervous system is constantly working to control reflexes and balance, which is vital for humans, who walk on two feet. This system doesn’t always work perfectly, however. Sometimes, a sideways or lateral curvature develops.
When doctors are diagnosing scoliosis, they’ll usually talk about degrees of curvature. If the curvature is larger than 10 degrees, you will probably be diagnosed with scoliosis. Less curvature than this is simply called a postural change.
The exact cause for this problem is unknown, but various courses for treatment are available.
Dealing with a Curvature of the Spine
When the spine is curved in a way that isn’t normal, many functions within the body can be affected. Your activity can be limited, lung function can be affected, you might feel pain, and heart function may even be influenced.
Spinal deviation often occurs during the teenage years, which can be difficult, considering the active lifestyle so often led at this age by a teen and his peers.
Most people’s spinal deviations are not severe, and don’t worsen. Medical checkups are important when it comes to scoliosis, however, because the problem can worsen very quickly, especially among younger children.
Treatment
If a medical checkup reveals that scoliosis is present, different course of action can be taken. For more severe cases, surgery is needed. For less severe cases, one approach is called bracing, which if often used for younger children. Spinal manipulation from one of our chiropractors, along with therapeutic exercises, may be of help to reduce the symptoms of scoliosis.