Do I Need To Get Scoliosis Corrected?

Have you recently been diagnosed with scoliosis, or have been living with scoliosis for some time? It’s normal to ask, “do I need to get scoliosis corrected” if you’ve just discovered that you’ve had scoliosis most of your life, with seemingly no ill effects. Oftentimes, the solutions prescribed by medical doctors can feel extreme: in most cases, corrective care requires surgery, and alternatives are typically meant only to prevent the worsening of the condition (for example, a brace). Many people would prefer not to use either option but are concerned about the consequences of living with scoliosis. If you’ve been wondering, “do I need to get scoliosis corrected?” then read on to learn why you may want to.

1. Scoliosis affects your nervous system.

Scoliosis affects your spine, which is the central hub of your entire nervous system. When the spine is misshapen, as it is in the case of scoliosis, it can negatively affect the nervous system. This is because misalignment in the spine can make the joints shift out of the normal location where they’re supposed to reside in your body. When this happens, the joints can inflame nearby nerves. It can also bruise nerves, pinch nerves, and even sever them in severe cases. This can inhibit the ability of electrical energy to flow through the nerves, which is necessary in order to release chemical messages in the body that control various processes. By realigning the spine and correcting scoliosis, the nervous system can get back to its ideal functioning, allowing more energy to flow freely through the body.

2. Scoliosis affects digestion.

Scoliosis can negatively affect digestion. The enteric nervous system, which runs through the entire digestive tract, is one of the parts of the nervous system that can be impaired when the spine is misaligned. The problem with this is that when the nervous system function is impaired in the digestive tract, processes may not function normally. This can cause nausea, indigestion, acid reflux, GERD, constipation, and other common digestive problems. By correcting spinal alignment, the enteric nervous system, which controls the digestive system’s function, can also be improved.

3. Scoliosis affects your posture.

In addition to affecting the internal function of the body, scoliosis also affects the external function of the body. It puts strain on the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints, as the spine is not able to function optimally as a support for the entire body when it’s not in proper alignment. Because of this, the body can contort as the soft, non-structure-supporting tissues of the body struggle to compensate for the lack of support from the spine.

4. Scoliosis can make degenerative changes more likely to occur in your joints.

As we get older, degenerative conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis can begin to arise. Unfortunately, the misalignment of the joints of the spine can make degenerative changes more likely to occur in the spine, and, if they do occur, worsen their impact. When the spine is in misalignment, the soft tissue between the joints isn’t able to function properly as the shock-absorbing, protective cushions they’re meant to be. Instead, the edges of the joints can wear on one another. This wear and tear can cause degeneration to happen faster, and be more serious when it does.

5. Scoliosis can take a toll on your immune system.

The nervous system is a major player in the health and immunity of the body, and scoliosis can impact the nervous system negatively by impairing its function. As a result, scoliosis can indirectly take a toll on the immune system by straining the function of the nervous system. The nervous system, which is responsible for so many processes in the body, is a necessary part of a healthy immune system. The nervous system doesn’t just regulate digestion and a host of other processes in the body that dictate your health—it also controls the body’s response to stress, which is a major player in immune activity.

6. Scoliosis can strain your lymphatic system.

Scoliosis causes the spine to be misshapen and malformed. This misalignment can affect the circulation of the body, which is a critical component of healthy function. When the posture is misaligned, and the body is out of balance, normal pathways that fluid, lymph, and blood would travel can be negatively impeded. Fluid can begin to build in the lymph nodes, and this can make the body more susceptible to poor drainage and stagnation. Colds and other issues can last longer, become chronic, and lead to other health challenges.

7. Severe scoliosis can negatively affect respiration.

When scoliosis is present in the body, depending on the severity of the spinal curve, it can put pressure on the organs and misshape the ribs. When the ribs become misshapen, this can put undue stress on the lungs, which can negatively affect respiration. Respiration is an enormously essential part of the body’s overall health, and when respiration is strained, oxygen can have trouble flowing through the body and reaching the extremities.

8. Scoliosis can decrease your quality of life.

Overall, scoliosis can decrease your quality of life over time. There are many ways that scoliosis can become an impediment to good health, and they all vary depending on your individual lifestyle and traits. Even if you don’t think that scoliosis is posing a threat to your health and well-being now, there is a high likelihood that the degree of your curve will worsen over time. Additionally, as life presents opportunities for stress and challenges, health is often the first thing to become strained. You don’t want to be unnecessarily weakened as time continues to pass—you’ll want a strong foundation of health more than ever!

Seeking Care at The Scoliosis Center of Utah

At The Scoliosis Center of Utah, Dr. Katalina Dean is working hard to correct misalignment in the spine and help patients with scoliosis to thrive. At The Scoliosis Center of Utah, we don’t just work to stop the progression of scoliosis—we work to reverse it. Unlike traditional medical interventions, our unique ScoliBrace® and use of Chiropractic BioPhysics® have helped hundreds of patients see reversals of the progression of their scoliosis. If you’re ready to see what alignment can do for your health, book your appointment today.