Will my scoliosis get worse as I age?
Answer: For a long time, doctors told patients that their scoliosis would not progress after the age of 18; unfortunately, research has proven otherwise. Whether scoliosis develops earlier in life (Type A) or in adulthood (Type B), it will most likely progress; the only question is how fast. Additional studies have shown that as the Cobb angle increases, the amount of chronic pain goes up, and the ranges of motion & the quality of life goes down.
Can you help adult scoliosis?
Answer: Yes! Whether you have just been diagnosed with scoliosis or have had it for 30 years, we can help treat scoliosis at any age. As scoliosis progresses, so can the symptoms associated with it. These symptoms include but are definitely not limited to neck pain, low back pain, sciatica, respiratory issues, digestive issues, headaches, fatigue, overall decrease in quality of life, and much more. It is never too late to regain and work on some of the health that you have lost. It is also never too late to be the person and have the health that you have always wanted! Remember that scoliosis is a degenerative disease that can lead to permanent damage over time. Some damage can never become undone but you can absolutely prevent it from getting worse.
What is meant by Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis?
Answer: AIS is how your child’s scoliosis may be categorized. Idiopathic simply refers to the fact that there is no known cause, such as an injury, that led to the curvature in your child’s spine. Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, therefore, is just another way of saying that the scoliosis first occurred at or near puberty, for no apparent reason.
When should I start treatment for my scoliosis?
Answer: It is possible that you have been told that until the curves reach 20-25 degrees there is nothing you can do, except watch and wait (and, no doubt, worry). At 25 degrees, some form of bracing is typically recommended. If you have, or are nearing, a 40-50 degree curve, it is likely that surgery has been discussed with you and/or recommend. In our East Islip Chiropractic office, you can start addressing your scoliosis at any time, with any degree of curvature. It is never too late to start—and it is never too early. Scoliosis is a degenerative disease by nature. Therefore, a lot of degeneration from scoliosis can be permanent if action is not taken immediately to prevent it from occurring. Some individuals may decide to watch and wait for some time before starting treatment. This may not be in your health’s best interest since the degeneration does not stop. You can be proactive; you have options despite what you have been told. We take pride in challenging the protocol because we treat the condition of scoliosis fully, and achieve outstanding results from our innovative, non-invasive approach to reversing and correcting scoliosis. It’s never too late—and it’s never too early.
Why should I seek treatment for my scoliosis from a chiropractor that is certified by CLEAR Institute? What do they know about scoliosis that my regular D.C. might not?
Answer: Typical chiropractic adjustments have been proven to be ineffective and sometimes even harmful to the scoliotic patient, due to the mobilization of fixated vertebrae by the adjustment. While this may cause pain relief in the short term, the long term result often is increased progression of the Cobb angle. CLEARTM practitioners are not focused on relieving pain, although this is certainly the end result. Chiropractors specifically trained by CLEARTM Institute are committed to achieving structural changes to the spine that will allow the body to de-rotate and to correct itself, and they use specific, reproducible precision x-rays that are analyzed according to exact guidelines to measure and quantify the change.
There's a lot of controversy about whether or not bracing works. What is your opinion about treating scoliosis with a brace?
Answer: The controversy over the effectiveness of bracing is somewhat misleading. You will never find any doctor in the world claiming that bracing will reduce or correct scoliosis; rather, the debate is over whether or not wearing a brace will prevent the scoliosis from getting worse. When doctors state that bracing “works,” what they’re really saying is that it stabilizes the scoliosis, keeping it at its current position. Most doctors will insist that bracing does “work” – with proper compliance. Recommended compliance is twenty-three hours per day, every day. This applies to all types of external scoliosis braces including both the Spine Cor and Boston brace. In a study published in the American Journal of Orthopedics, 60% of the patients surveyed felt that bracing had handicapped their life, and 14% felt it had left a psychological scar ¹ . The Children’s Research Center in Dublin, Ireland, has not recommended bracing as a treatment for scoliosis since 1991, stating, “If bracing does not reduce the proportion of children with AIS [adolescent idiopathic scoliosis] who require surgery for cosmetic improvement of their deformity, it cannot be said to provide a meaningful advantage to the patient or the community.”
CLEARTM Institute does not recommend using any type of brace during our treatment protocols.
Can you help people with severe scoliosis? Answer: CLEAR doctors have achieved reductions even in Cobb angles over 100 degrees. However, reversing the course of any disease in its advanced stages is always more difficult, and scoliosis is no exception. Stabilizing & correcting a 20 degree Cobb angle might take a month or two; correcting a 40 degree Cobb angle completely could take a year, or longer. As the Cobb angle increases, the time & effort required increases exponentially.