Scoliosis, which typically presents itself in young, growing people, is actually an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine. What starts as a postural distortion could then become a permanent deformity if not promptly addressed. If it’s allowed to advance without any intervention, scoliosis can end up interfering with the normal functions of a person’s lungs, heart and other organs.
Three Causes
Scoliosis could occur due to a person’s genetic predisposition (“congenital”), their behavioral routines (“habitual”) or it could be due to an unknown cause (“idiopathic”). Early detection is good because then there’s more time to treat it.
Obvious Clues
Since scoliosis typically occurs in young, growing kids, a parent might notice their child’s one shoulder seems higher than the other, or one of their hips is lower than the other. Maybe clothes seem to fit improperly. Or shoes indicate uneven wear. Also, a child might complain of back and/or leg pain. All of these could be clues that a person is dealing with scoliosis.
Wait and See?
Some children are tested at school for scoliosis. Others, such as home-schooled kids, might not be tested. Either way, sometimes parents might suspect scoliosis but take a “wait and see” approach. This isn’t ideal. Scoliosis can worsen and a young person may end up needing to wear a brace or even get surgery to forcefully straighten the spine with steel rods.
Natural Approach
Thankfully, there is a natural way to improve the function and structure of the spine: regular chiropractic care. A chiropractor can help get a person’s muscles “retrained,” strengthening them such that posture improves and the spine is no longer abnormally curved.