Minor Symptoms and Indications of Scoliosis

You find yourself noticing that one side of your body seems to be a little different from the other. It's natural for one foot to be slightly larger than the other. Also common is to have one hand slightly larger than the other. All humans experience these minor differences with their body.

However, dissimilarities, which are distinctly obvious, are those such as where one arm is noticeably larger than the other. Where one hand is obviously larger. Or where when wearing a belt, you notice the belt is always up on one side and down on the other.

Maybe your hair grows longer on one side than the other. Or you notice that your shoes seem to feel different one foot to the other: you have to purchase shoes one size larger than you normally wear. One is tight and the other is loose. Or you experience more wear on one side than the other.

As you grow older, larger and taller, you notice when walking you place more weight on one foot than the other. Walking down a hall. You hear a distinct difference in the sound of one foot hitting the floor versus the other.

You find one shoulder blade protrudes a little more so than the other. You notice that one eye is a little more open than the other. One appears to droop or as some call it; the eye takes on the appearance of a 'lazy' eye.

To hide these subtle differences, you begin to wear clothing that does not show the obvious difference in your waistline. You never wear a shirt inside your skirt or pants: your shirts are always bought to hang and not go inside. Or when you begin to work, you always wear blazers to hide the difference.

As a child, you remember the school nurse having you stand straight and tall. When doing this, you remember her saying to make sure you are standing straight and tall. You thought you were, however, she kept saying, 'stand straight for me'. After a few minutes, she realizes you are standing as straight and tall as possible.

After a few more minutes, she states, "you have a condition known as Scoliosis". You're sent to a physician where the diagnosis is finalized: You have Scoliosis. The doctor then makes his recommendations. The disability seems to be minor. Your parents are given the option of placing you in a brace, waiting to see if you outgrow it or just leave it alone.

In time, you realize it is not that drastic. The problem makes no difference in the way you live your life. You can do everything everyone else can except dance. Even though you want to dance, you have problems.

You now feel blessed that Scoliosis is not a major disability. Then one day, you hear that there are those who suffer with this condition with such magnitude they are considered by society as being disabled. It then hits you very hard. You have suffered with this condition your entire life yet never experienced any problems except those that could be considered cosmetic. The problems or differences were easily disguised. Therefore, you never considered yourself or wanted anyone to even think you were disabled.

Scoliosis is a condition that causes the spine to curve either to the left, or right or in an 'S' or 'C' position. For some, the curvature is of such a magnitude, it requires they undergo surgery, wear a brace or in some cases, Scoliosis cannot be corrected. A few are blessed to have only a slight curve that makes them have a higher angle to one side more than the other. Usually, the angle can only be detected if the sufferer wears tightly fitted clothing.

In the event of weight gain other than due to growth, the individuals may find themselves experiencing a slight discomfort while performing daily household chores or work in the yard. Physicians state that anyone having scoliosis should be extra aware of weight gain. They advise sufferers to keep their weight within those that are advised by physicians as being normal for their age, height and bone structure.

Exercise is imperative for those suffering with Scoliosis. Daily walks, bike rides, jumping jacks or sit-ups can mean the difference in having to deal with discomfort when performing minor chores or easing through each activity.

Remember to eat small portions, keep your weight at the recommended level and exercise daily to prevent Scoliosis from worsening or causing major discomfort.