Scoliosis Diagnosis and Management at Fayetteville Accident and Injury Center in Fayetteville, NC
Research indicates that about 2 to 3% of the United States population has scoliosis. At Fayetteville Accident and Injury Center, our team helps men, women, and children from the greater Fayetteville area manage their scoliosis so they can enjoy healthy and active lives.
S-Curves and C-Curves: Making Sense of Scoliosis
A healthy spine is not a straight rod. It has front and back curves that help distribute weight throughout the body.
Scoliosis is an abnormal side to side curve of the spine, typically resembling an S or C shape. The severity of a curve can range from mild and barely noticeable to severe and extremely debilitating.
Scoliosis typically develops infancy and is usually diagnosed around age 10-15. Most cases are idiopathic (no clear cause). Some cases of scoliosis are congenital (associated with some abnormality during fetal development), and still others are neuromuscular (secondary to some sort of neuromuscular condition like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy).
Signs and Symptoms of Scoliosis
In general, the more significant the curve, the more obvious the signs and symptoms:
- Uneven shoulders, ribs, and/or hips
- Back pain
- Head and pelvis are not in alignment
- Entire body leans to one side
- One leg may appear shorter than the other (if hips and pelvis are uneven), which could lead to limping
- The appearance of asymmetrical bulging of the ribs or spine when bending forward
How Our Fayetteville Chiropractor Can Help You Manage Your Scoliosis
It's important to realize that for most people, a scoliotic curve cannot be "corrected." For young children with severe cases of scoliosis, serial bracing or invasive surgery may be indicated and might help. But for most people with this condition, management becomes the focus of care.
Fortunately, our Fayetteville chiropractor has so much to offer you or your loved one struggling with signs and symptoms related to your scoliosis! He can provide non-invasive and gentle adjustments that can maximize spinal alignment, relieve tension in the spine, and naturally trigger pain relief.
Dr. McDowell can also prescribe corrective exercises which improve strength and endurance of key core musculature. If joint capsules, fascia, muscle, and tendon tightness exists in the shoulders, hips, and other areas, he can teach you stretches to improve mobility here, too, which can reduce strain on the spine.
Lastly, our Fayetteville chiropractor can teach you or your child important body mechanic and ergonomic modifications that will help minimize re-aggravating positions and movements that would otherwise worsen and prolong symptoms.
Do You or Your Child Have Scoliosis? Contact Fayetteville Accident and Injury Center in Fayetteville
Come to Fayetteville Accident and Injury Center Fayetteville Accident and Injury Center or call (910) 484-2001 to schedule a consultation with our chiropractor, Dr. Joshua McDowell. He's here to help!