What is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that measures greater than 10 degrees and causes the shoulders and hips to be uneven, depending on where the curves are located in the spine. When an x-ray is taken of a person who has scoliosis, the spine looks more like an “S” or a “C” rather than a straight line. Scoliosis occurs most often during the growth spurt of a child just before puberty; however, adults can develop scoliosis too.
How Does Adult-Onset Scoliosis Develop?
When adult-onset scoliosis develops at a later age, it’s referred to as degenerative scoliosis. The onset of adult scoliosis usually develops between the ages of 50 and 70 and originates from degeneration of the vertebral ligaments in the spine and disc degeneration. As the discs degenerate, they can become shrunken, bulging, or herniated. When this happens more so on one side of the spine, a curve can develop, leading to adult-onset scoliosis. This usually causes some people to experience pain in their back, buttocks, and/or legs. It can even cause difficulty walking and standing if the spine shifts to the point where it pinches the nerves. Some other common symptoms include a visible bulge in the back due to muscle rotation or rib cage rotation and unevenness in the backside from the pelvis being pronounced.
Degenerative scoliosis is more common in females than males as this is related to hormone and bone-density changes from menopause.
Treatment for Adult Scoliosis
Many adults who are diagnosed with scoliosis think they need surgery right away. Most adult-onset scoliosis cases can be treated successfully with nonsurgical therapies. It’s only when the patient’s pain is so bad and their quality of life is tremendously impacted that surgery is recommended.
Chiropractic care is a treatment for scoliosis that can help with pain management, reducing spine curvature, and increasing core strength so that the spine is properly supported. Through a series of gentle adjustments, a chiropractor works towards repositioning the vertebrae back into alignment with the rest of the spine. The adjustments help to restore mobility and reduce nerve interference to alleviate pain and muscle tightness. Chiropractic care will also focus on exercises that work to increase core strength and improve posture to help maintain the spine in a neutral position.
A chiropractor will most likely first assess their patient who has adult-onset scoliosis with clinical examination (orthopedic, neurologic, and spinal) and diagnostic imaging (x-rays/ MRI’s) to determine what chiropractic treatment is appropriate for them.
Merckling Family Chiropractor Can Help Treat Adult Scoliosis
Regardless of age, it’s never too late to start adult scoliosis treatment that focuses on stabilizing the spine to prevent further damage and provide pain relief without surgery.
The doctors at Merckling Family Chiropractor have a wealth of knowledge and experience treating adult scoliosis. Contact the office at (631) 286-2300 to schedule an appointment.
