Chiropractic Focus – Scoliosis

The Welling family is having a fit, they just were told by the doctor that their daughter Anna has scoliosis! What is the cause and what is the cure? There are visions of the Hunch back of Notre Dame from in the movies and yet there doesn’t seem to be much of an explanation of why and what can be done. The typical are general stretches or exercises if mild and wearing a back brace in more advanced cases; then there is that word “surgery” that might be mentioned.

In Manila a scoliosis evaluation can be arranged HERE. The Chiropractic profession does not view scoliosis as a medical disease or a condition that needs to be attacked with a remedy or a brace or a set of exercises or even surgery.

As non-surgical spinal experts, chiropractors look at the spine as a dynamic structure that adapts to less than ideal architectural conditions. Many times there are unevenly shaped bones at the bottom of the spine that cause the side to side bending; sometimes there was trauma and the spinal bones were misaligned and the bending spine is a mal-adaptation to that misalignment.

If this happens in an adult, there may be pathological fractures of the bones of the spine that contribute to abnormal curves. The best place to begin getting the complete picture is to have the patient undergo a full spine evaluation following the expert protocols of the chiropractors that take functional changes, congenital structure as well as pathology into account before recommending a proper course of action. If surgery is still recommended, there will be peace of mind that all other options have been considered.

A small (very small) percentage of scoliosis cases do require surgery to avoid secondary complications to one’s health as vital organs are at risk of being compressed by the bending, almost contortion like twists of the spine. Most everyone else will benefit from an expert opinion by a conservative spinal specialist (the Chiropractor) as the causes of scoliosis is a physical one, not a chemical one, so there is really no drug therapy that applies.

The object of chiropractic care when scoliosis is present is the same for non-scoliotic conditions… restoring optimal spinal function and improve the architectural influences that favor a life with less negative neurological outcomes. Scoliosis does increase spinal stresses so a chiropractic evaluation is not just wise, but necessary.

In other words, although scoliosis may complicate spinal care and some correction is hoped for, but eliminating spinal misalignments from a child’s life (adults too) will favor greater health, less disease, less pain or disability, better posture and where practical healthy lifestyles are encouraged. Scoliosis is a concern and may be a factor complicating spinal health care but it is certainly not a disease to be dreaded but it does need to be managed.

Yours in Health,
docMIKE