Have you ever been told to sit up straight to avoid getting scoliosis? Contrary to popular belief, scoliosis is not caused by bad posture or carrying loads on the back. Spine conditions, like scoliosis, are just one of many specialties Azalea’s doctors treat.
The principal symptom of scoliosis is an abnormal curvature from behind, most frequently in the upper back. Although it is most commonly found in young, adolescent females, male and female adults can still be prone. Adult onset of scoliosis is often caused by asymmetric disk degeneration, where one side of the spine experiences degenerative conditions more than the other.
When looking for visual symptoms of scoliosis, look for one hip higher than the other or one rib sticking out further than the other, caused by the spine rotating and pushing on the ribcage. Most mild scoliosis do not cause pain, however severe cases can cause back pain, breathing problems or deformity.
There are a few different treatment options to scoliosis depending on how severe the curve is. Factors to be considered when deciding upon treatment of scoliosis include severity of curve, curve pattern, location of curve and maturity. When treatment is required for scoliosis, it is usually for either idiopathic or extensive curvatures of the spine. Treatment of idiopathic curves usually involves preventing the curve from worsening with a brace. With an extensive curve, surgery can be done to correct as much of the curvature as possible and prevent future problems.
If you have mild scoliosis, there are exercises you can do at home that are recommended with your spine in mind.
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For more information on the Spine, browse topics on our Orthopedic Connection page.
