Adult Scoliosis – Is it the Cause of Your Pain?
Because scoliosis typically affects adolescents, adults who are diagnosed with adult scoliosis are often shocked. Scoliosis is a condition in which an individual’s spine develops a side to side curvature – or sideways S or C shape. Although the symptoms of scoliosis are the same for adults as well as teenagers, adults face a different set of challenges than teenagers.
What are the Symptoms of Adult Scoliosis?
Symptoms of adult scoliosis can include one or more of the following:
- Lower back pain and back aches
- Tiring of the spine due to lengthy periods of sitting and/or standing
- Hip and shoulders that are uneven
- A spine that curves to one side.
What causes Adult Scoliosis?
There are several different reasons that an adult can get scoliosis. Some adults have had scoliosis from childhood, but the deformity and pain worsens as they become an adult. Disc degeneration can cause scoliosis as well, as can fractures in the spine. Individuals who suffer from muscular dystrophies, polio or other neuromuscular disorders often suffer from neuro-muscular scoliosis. The most common causes of adult scoliosis are the following:
- A Degenerative disease such as osteoarthritis- when the vertebrae and/or discs on one side of the spine weaken or degenerate more than those on the other side, creating a curve.
- Idiopathic Scoliosis that went unnoticed and untreated during adolescence- a curvature that went unnoticed during adolescence now becomes noticeable in adulthood because it has continued to progress or because it begins to cause pain.
- Scoliosis that was treated with surgery during adolescence- individuals who undergo scoliosis surgery as teens continue to struggle with the symptoms of scoliosis throughout their lives.
How is Adult Scoliosis Treated?
While scoliosis does not generally cause pain in children or teens, it can cause pain in adults, especially those with osteoarthritis. Even in other types of adult scoliosis, pain may be present because the natural flexibility of youth has diminished, and the muscles that have helped to compensate for the curve become overtaxed.
Traditional medicine generally employs pain relievers and anti-inflammatories to alleviate the painful symptoms of adult scoliosis. The problem with these drugs is that they only last a few hours, they have many side effects and don’t resolve the underlying problem.
At South Florida Scoliosis Center we offer a safe and natural alternative to alleviating the pain and symptoms of adult scoliosis.
SFSC Scoliosis Treatment Method
If your adult scoliosis stems from a degenerative condition, vertebrae and discs can be out of alignment and compressing nerves, which can cause your scoliosis pain. If the scoliosis has been present for many years, whether treated with surgery or not, there’s a good chance that compensatory muscles have become strained. And with the scoliosis curvature existing for years, the unnatural position can cause other misalignments and further interfere with proper nerve function. Our scoliosis treatment methods can begin correcting structural misalignments and restoring optimal function to the nervous system.
If you’ve never considered chiropractic for your adult scoliosis, now is the time to contact us. At South Florida Scoliosis Center we will go to great lengths to understand your particular situation, by performing an extensive exam. Discuss all findings, and design a customized plan for working with your adult scoliosis.
Make an appointment today and take control of your spine health! 305-705-0777
