Surgery Free Chiropractic Treatment for Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine that affects thousands of individuals and is usually found during the younger years of life. In most cases, scoliosis can be treated with non-surgical methods which require the care of a licensed chiropractor but in some severe cases surgical treatment may be the only option for preventing scoliosis from limiting mobility and function of the patient. Chiropractic treatment such as spinal adjustments have been found not to be effective in treating scoliosis but there are some methods of chiropractic care which have been found to be very effective.

Surgery Free Scoliosis Treatment: Braces

There are two main types of braces that can be used for treating scoliosis. One brace is far less invasive and immobilizing than the other. Only a licensed physician or chiropractor can determine which brace would be most effective in treating the scoliosis in a non-surgical manner as all patients differ.

Underarm braces hold a lower profile than their more invasive counterparts the Milwaukee brace which includes a neck ring in addition to the torso brace. The underarm brace is the most commonly used brace for treating scoliosis today. These braces are nearly invisible when clothes are worn as the brace runs under the arms down the torso and around the hips. Braces are specially molded to fit each individual based on the area of the spine which has the curvature.

Chiropractic Treatment for Scoliosis

A chiropractor may help treat the scoliosis by offering adjustments to areas in which pressure is being placed on nerves or other areas of the spine as a result of the scoliosis. Additionally, the chiropractor is usually the person who decides whether the scoliosis is severe enough to warrant the treatment of a daily brace and he will also determine how long the brace will be worn for each day. In most cases, the underarm brace is worn for at least 20 hours per day and sometimes even longer. Basically, the brace is only removed for bathing.

When Non-Surgical Chiropractic Treatment for Scoliosis is Not an Option

Unfortunately, in some severe cases, the chiropractor will find that non-surgical treatment of the scoliosis is not effective and additional methods of treatment must be pursued. This usually happens as a result of a scoliosis spine curvature that is so severe that it begins to place stress on the organs and additional areas of the body preventing the individual form performing routine daily activities.

While the surgery for scoliosis is usually very effective it can also be extremely costly, leaves the patients immobile for months and requires hospitalization for up to a full week. This complicated orthopedic procedure is reserved for patients who have not seen results with various non-surgical forms of scoliosis treatment such as wearing a brace or seeing a physical therapist for additional mobility assistance.

Additional treatments for scoliosis may include electrical stimulation of the muscles around the spine (this can be performed by a chiropractor) or various exercises to increase the strength surrounding the spine and prevent further curvature from developing. A licensed physical therapist will aid in teaching patients how to exercise in a way that will be beneficial to the treatment of scoliosis.