“Can you fix scoliosis?”
I was diagnosed with scoliosis and want to fix it. Can you fix scoliosis?
4 Answers
In short, no. Scoliosis is a change in the spine that can be either structural or functional. Structural means that is the way your body is, so there is very little you can change in that regard unless you undergo surgery. Functional means it's the way your body has adapted, and that can be influenced. Depending on how much of your scoliosis is functional will determine how much you are able to correct the degree of the curve. Even still it is likely you will not be able to straighten your spine entirely. This is common, there is a significant amount of people living with scoliosis. Where it would become a problem is if you were having pain or loss of function due to the nature of your curvature. There are chiropractors who specialize in scoliosis and I would recommend seeking one out for a detailed examination and evaluation and co-management with an orthopedic or neurosurgeon. Scoliosis is something to monitor as certain types of curvatures become more prominent overtime due to aging and gravity.
Scoliosis can be corrected when you're under the age of 20. Older than that surgical intervention could be explored if the curve is greater than 50 degrees.
It depends on how old you are and how severe it is. It requires regular treatment over long period of time for best outcome.
No doctor can promise you a cure “fix”. What I can say, is that in my 28 years of experience, I have helped many patients with scoliosis not get worse or sometimes even straighter. I would need to see current X-rays of your scoliosis with you standing to determine the severity and also the likelihood of straightening or even just slowing down the progression of scoliosis. It has been estimated that 75% of scoliosis patients get worse curvature over time. So, it is a progressive condition in most people. What is important is to have regular visits to an Orthopedic Physician to keep a knowledge on your Scoliosis progression. The American Orthopedic Association (AOA), recommends a yearly standing X-ray of patients Scoliosis for this reason. If your scoliosis is more on the mild side, then I may be able to help you. Please set up a consultation with me so we can review your specific spinal details.
