Can Scoliosis Be Treated At Any Age?

1-2 out of every one hundred people in the US alone suffer from scoliosis—some without even realizing it. Scoliosis can cause digestive distress, headaches, back pain, stiffness, and a variety of other symptoms that can seem to have no identifiable cause.

Many people live with scoliosis for years without knowing that they are suffering from abnormal spinal curvature. This is because many of the symptoms caused by scoliosis are often accepted as normal or common.

People may find that scoliosis produces no life-interfering effects on their daily experience, while others may feel the imbalancing effects of the disorder signiciantly. The way scoliosis feels is different for every individual, but generally speaking, the misalignment in the spine typically produces ill-effects in the body’s function.

What ages does scoliosis affect most?

Scoliosis affects all ages. It’s difficult to say which age is the most affected by scoliosis because every life stage is different and requires different things from the body. Here is an overview of the ways that scoliosis might affect the body at various ages:

0 – 12 Years

Surprisingly, childhood can be one of the most challenging stages of life for scoliosis sufferers. Because the body is rapidly developing and growing, the curvature of the spine can be especially challenging.

Of course, this is dependent on the severity of the spine’s abnormal curve, but childhood scoliosis can have many difficult side effects. This can include making sports and movement challenging due to stiffness in the spine, visible aesthetic deformation, impaired breathing and digestion, and reducing effects on height.

13 – 25 Years

During the ages of 13 and 25, the body is still changing and developing.

Even after the framework of the body stops growing, hormonal changes can cause the body’s organs and systems to behave differently. Because the central nervous system is housed largely in the spine, scoliosis can impair the body’s nervous system function. This can lead to headaches and migraines, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, and a host of other neurological symptoms.

26 – 55 Years

After early adulthood, the body typically adjusts to its current condition and adapts to live with whatever challenges are present. This means that scoliosis can become a normal part of daily life in adulthood, which is often why adults can be unaware that they are suffering from a spinal deformity. Even if the body adjusts to the structural challenges of scoliosis, there are still factors that can stress the body as a result of the disorder.

56+ Years

In late adulthood, scoliosis can serve as another strain on the body as it struggles to compensate for age. For individuals who are experiencing osteoporosis or arthritis, scoliosis can act as a compounding factor which makes degeneration more difficult to live with. For those with forward-head posture or slouched posture, scoliosis in older age can worsen it and make it harder to correct.

How is scoliosis treated?

Dr. Katalina Dean of The Scoliosis Center of Utah’s expertise and knowledge base is largely concerned with realigning bones and joints within the body to correct scoliosis, which includes a focus on treating the neuromusculoskeletal system. The nervous system, muscular system, and skeletal system are all components of the neuromusculoskeletal system.

These three systems work together to provide many of the basic bodily functions that allow people to move about freely in their surroundings. When one of these three systems is damaged, the others are also hampered in their ability to function properly. At The Scoliosis Center of Utah, scoliosis treatment focuses on realigning bones and joints, which have a significant impact on muscular and nervous system function.

When bones and joints become misaligned or suffer subluxation (moving out of their proper alignment in the global skeletal structure), this generates a number of imbalances throughout the body. Bones that are subluxated can cause inflammation in the body, restrict and crush local nerves, forcing muscles in the body to attempt to compensate for the imbalance, and disrupt nerve transmission and nerve energy flow.

Dr. Katalina Dean and your scoliosis treatment experts may use a visual analysis, manual treatment, digital imaging technology, spinal traction, bracing, and x-rays to analyze and correct spinal deformities caused by the abnormal spinal curvature caused by scoliosis. Each of these techniques allows your treatment specialist to analyze what bones and joints require care and what the impact is on that section of the body (and your lifestyle, pain levels, and overall comfort).

What is the best scoliosis treatment option for your unique body? That is what the experts at The Scoliosis Center of Utah will determine!

Can scoliosis be treated at any age?

While traditional doctors and surgeons may insist that the window for scoliosis treatment is early in the lifespan (and stops around early adulthood), this is not the case with the cutting-edge treatments offered at Scoliosis Center of Utah. While surgery and other invasive treatments are often best performed at a young age, Chiropractic BioPhysics® and the ScoliBrace® system offered at the Scoliosis Center of Utah can be effective at every age.

Unlike invasive treatments and procedures, Chiropractic BioPhysics® and the ScoliBrace® system allow the bones of the body to move back toward optimal alignment naturally using physics, mirror-image adjustments, and in appropriate cases, consistent bracing. At The Scoliosis Center of Utah, scoliosis can be treated at any age.

When you come in for your first appointment, our experts will assess your spine completely to determine what is required to help move your spinal posture back toward optimal alignment. This will include a variety of diagnostic tests, designed to ensure that your treatment plan is customized uniquely to your needs, making it as effective and efficient as possible.

If you’re ready to experience the groundbreaking non-invasive technology used to provide scoliosis treatment for all ages at the Scoliosis Center of Utah, book your initial appointment today. Our wellness and scoliosis experts take your health and wellness as seriously as you do!