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Diagnosis of Scoliosis
Diagnosis of Scoliosis Varieties* Congenital scoliosis is not usually discovered before birth, even though it exists in the fetal stage. A fetus will rarely be subjected to any X-rays, due to the increased risk of birth defects. Even if the fetus were to have X-rays, the fetal bones are still soft and tiny. Fetal bones do not image well enough to be seen clearly in many cases.* Adult scoliosis is a condition caused by some other underlying problem. Maybe an injury caused a curve to start in the spine. A degenerative process, such as Osteoarthritis, can also cause a spinal curve to start. * Idiopathic scoliosis is diagnosed when a child is usually between 10 and 13. It can occur much younger or slightly older. The younger the child is when they are diagnosed, the greater the risk of developing a severe curvature. Spinal curves are worsened by rapid growth. The more a child still has to grow, the greater the chance that the curve will become problematic. Recommendation for the Diagnosis of ScoliosisMy schools all had a scoliosis check every year, from 2nd to 12th grade. I raised a red flag with more than one school nurse for this condition. I followed up with my doctor as a child and was told that my back was fine. When I began to have back pain at 16, my first care provider was a chiropractor. This doctor DID diagnose scoliosis in me. I remember feeling devastated. I did not want to wear a brace or have a physical defect.This chiropractor blamed most of my pain on this “spinal curve and muscle imbalance”. I was told that his treatments would correct the curve. They never did. Years later, I discovered that my curve was very slight and normal. It did not cause me any pain. My spinal curve was just the first of many anatomical scapegoats used to explain my horrible back pain. Guess what? I still have a mild curve and I am pain free… Scoliosis rarely causes ANY pain.
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