Utah Scoliosis Pain & Treatment

What is scoliosis?
 

When the spine has an abnormal curvature, the condition is called scoliosis. It affects 5-7 million Americans a year and can start at any age, but is much more prevalent in older patients. It also occurs more often in women than in men, and usually runs in families. Scoliosis is usually classified as either idiopathic (with no underlying cause) or congenital (genetically prone), but can also be caused by another condition.

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Idiopathic is the most common form of scoliosis, though it only affects less than one percent of the general population. Congenital scoliosis is present at birth and affects roughly 1 in 1,500 births. Scoliosis can also be secondary to an underlying condition, such as neuromuscular diseases (spina bifida, cerebral palsy) or hereditary musculoskeletal disorders (osteogenesis imperfecta, Marfan syndrome, Stickler syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, muscular dystrophies), or a result of trauma, such as spinal stenosis or bone collapse as a result of osteoperosis.

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Scoliosis is measured by how many degrees the spine twists from a particular plane using Cobb's angle (a radiographic measurement). Because the spine can be bent in 3 dimensions, a patient can have several kinds of scoliosis. Lordosis is an abnormal curvature toward the front of the body and kyphosis is an abnormal curvature towards the back. 

 

Signs of scoliosis 

 

There are several signs that one might be suffering from scoliosis. Some of the common ailments that affect scoliosis patients include: imbalance, anxiety, a prominent rib or shoulder due to spine curvature, uneven musculature on the sides of the spine, uneven hips, and uneven leg lengths. In severe cases of scoliosis (when the Cobb's angle is greater than 25 degrees), a patient will often have difficulty breathing and reduced functionality which can result in pain and infection of the heart of lungs.

 

Utah Scoliosis Treatment

 

Scoliosis must be addressed as quickly as possible in order to reduce worsening of the condition. Treatments will attempt to improve, prevent, or minimize the symptoms of scoliosis using chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. Surgery is only considered when the scoliosis is far advanced with a Cobb angle greater than 45 degrees. Luckily, most cases of scoliosis can be treated without surgical intervention.

 

For more information on how Omega Interventional Pain can help treat your scoliosis pain, please contact us at 801-261-4988.