Prevention is always better than cure. However, it is difficult to prevent a disease like idiopathic Scoliosis, which has no known cause. Even if the cause is known, as in congenital Scoliosis, further research is required to prevent its occurrence. Therefore, Treatment is vital in Scoliosis.
Scoliosis, which is marked by abnormal spinal curvature, is confirmed through X-ray. Doctors then decide on the course of Treatment based on the age, gender, and health of the patient, and severity and location of the curve. A curvature greater than 25 to 30 degrees is considered significant, while that greater than 45 to 50 degrees is considered severe.
Doctors in certain countries use serial corrective plaster casts to treat infantile Scoliosis, and patients have benefited from them. The findings of several researchers indicate that exercise, muscle manipulation, medicines, or meditation only help in easing pain or discomfort, and do not rectify the curve. However, some patients claim to have benefited from nonsurgical procedures like yoga or physical exercise and diet. According to them, the curvature is not only prevented from growing, but is also rectified through these nonsurgical procedures.
In general, doctors take recourse to observation, braces, or surgery to treat Scoliosis. In cases where the curve is mild and the patient is an adult, observation is the best treatment option. The spinal curve tends to grow during adolescence; therefore, if a doctor predicts that the curve will worsen in a teen, bracing is recommended. Surgery is advised when the curve is over 40 degrees in the case of teenagers and children. In adults, the severity of the curve and the accompanying pain and discomfort often necessitate surgery. Surgery is also the only treatment option for congenital Scoliosis that is caused by abnormal vertebral development.
To conclude, certain Scoliosis cases only require observation. Others can be controlled or rectified through established treatment procedures involving braces or surgery, respectively. The earlier the spinal abnormality is noticed, the better will it respond to Scoliosis Treatment.
