Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the backbone that is mostly diagnosed when one is a teenager or a child. It can also occur in people who have muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy. The cause of scoliosis is unknown.
Most cases are, however, of mild scoliosis, but the curves may worsen as the child grows. When severe, the curvature of the spine can be disabling, significantly when it reduces the space within the chest, which makes it difficult for one’s lungs to function well.
For children with mild scoliosis, scoliosis, and chiropractic doctor will constantly monitor their x-rays to see whether the curve is worsening.
For most of these cases, treatment is unnecessary, and the child may need to wear a brace to stop the worsening of the curve. In other cases, however, a scoliosis chiropractor may recommend surgery.
Symptoms of Scoliosis
The main symptoms of this condition include:
- Having one shoulder blade appears to be more prominent than the other
- Having uneven shoulders
- Having an uneven waist
- Having one rib cage side jutting forward
- Having one side of the back bend forward
In most cases, the spine tends to twist or rotate in addition to appearing to curve on the side, and this ends up causing the muscles and the ribs on the side of the body to stick out further than the other side.
When should you see a doctor?
You should see scoliosis and chiropractor doctor immediately if you notice the symptoms in your child. Mild scoliosis can develop even without you noticing, as it is a gradual process that doesn’t cause any pain.
Causes
Doctors do not yet know what causes scoliosis, and although it appears to have some hereditary factors, considering that it sometimes runs in families. However, the most common types could be caused by:
- Neuromuscular conditions like muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy
- Congenital disabilities
- Previous chest surgery on the child when they were a baby
- Infections or injuries in the spine
- Abnormalities in the spinal cord
Complications of Scoliosis
Most of the time, kids will only suffer mild scoliosis, but it may cause complications such as:
- Breathing issues – severe cases cause the rib cage to become pressed against the lungs causing breathing difficulties.
- Back pain – kids who have scoliosis will most likely have chronic back pain when they are adults, primarily due to the abnormal curvature of the spine.
- Appearance – as scoliosis worsens, there are usually some noticeable changes, including having uneven shoulders and hips, a shift in the waist and trunk, and prominent rigs. Most people will then tend to become self-conscious about this.
