_____________________________________ Monahan Chiropractic PA Stephen Monahan, D.C. 4022 Blanding Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32210 Phone: 904-778-7963 ________________________________ Home About Us Health Survey Office Hours Patient Testimonials What To Expect Payment Options Contact us ________________________________ Chiropractic Topics ________________________________ Why Patients Consult Our Office Could Chiropractic Help You? Chiropractic VS. Medical Treatment Types of Chiropractic Care What are Subluxations ? Chiropractic Adjustments History of Chiropractic Glossary of Chiropractic Terms Frequently Asked Questions Celebrity Chiropractic Patients How to Become a Patient ________________________________  • Arthritis  • Auto Accidents  • Back Pain  • Carpal Tunnel  • Chiro & Workers' Comp.  • Exercise and Physical Fitness  • Headaches  • Health and Wellness  • Hip Pain  • Infants Health Issues  • Muscle Spasms  • Numbness  • Nutrition and Balanced Diet  • Pinched Nerve  • Pregnancy  • Sciatica  • Scoliosis  • Slipped disc  • Stress  • Whiplash  • Whole Body Health ________________________________ Special Promotion                     Email Doctor                                 Subscribe To Our Newsletter   Email This Page To Your Friend           Make Blanding Chiropractic My Home Page

Scoliosis Scoliosis is a sideways curving of the spine that often gets started in childhood, when the bones of the spine are still growing. Scoliosis is detected by uneven shoulder heights, a loss of structrual balance, or a change in posture. It's seen more often in girls and the symptoms are sometimes dismissed as "growing pains." But if detected early enough, chiropractic doctors have had excellent success with scoliosis cases. In majority of the cases the cause of scoliosis is unknown; this is called idiopathic scoliosis. Before concluding that a person has idiopathic scoliosis, the doctor looks for other possible causes, such as injury or infection. Causes of curves are classified as either nonstructural or structural. Nonstructural (functional) scoliosis is structurally normal spine that appears curved. This is a temporary, changing curve. It is caused by an underlying condition such as a difference in leg length, muscle spasms, or inflammatory conditions such as appendicitis. Doctors treat this type of scoliosis by correcting the underlying problem. Structural scoliosis is a fixed curve that doctors treat case by case. Sometimes structural scoliosis is one part of a syndrome or disease, such as Marfan's syndrome, an inherited connective tissue disorder. In other cases, it occurs by itself. Structural scoliosis can be caused by neuromuscular diseases (such as cerebral palsy, poliomyelitis, or muscular dystrophy), birth defects (such as hemivertebra, in which one side of a vertebra fails to form normally before birth), injury, certain infections, tumors (such as those caused by neurofibromatosis, a birth defect sometimes associated with benign tumors on the spinal column), metabolic diseases, connective tissue disorders, rheumatic diseases, or unknown factors (idiopathic scoliosis). Most cases of adult scoliosis are idiopathic (the cause is not known). Sometimes adult scoliosis is the result of changes in the spine due to aging and degeneration. The causes of adult scoliosis are further categorized into several types. Idiopathic Curve Usually there is no clear-cut reason why the spine is curved. Congenital Curve Congenital means that you were born with the problem. Many different problems in growth and development can lead to spine problems. Congenital scoliosis may not be recognized or may not be severe enough to require treatment during childhood. Although it is rare, the scoliosis can get worse later in life due to wear and tear around the abnormal area of the spine. Paralytic Curve This type of scoliosis is often caused by paralysis from injury to the spinal cord. Paralytic means "the muscles do not work". When the muscles around the spine are not working, the spine may be thrown out of balance and cause a curvature in the spine. Myopathic Deformity Myopathic means "the muscles do not work properly". Like paralytic curves, this curve results from a muscular or neuromuscular disease, such as muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, or polio. Secondary Scoliosis Developed in adulthood can be "secondary" to other spinal conditions that affect the vertebrae. Other conditions such as degeneration, osteoporosis (loss of bone mass), or osteomalacia (softening of the bones) can cause scoliosis. Scoliosis can also appear following spinal surgery for other conditions. The surgery may cause an imbalance in the spine that leads to scoliosis. Learn more about degenerative adult scoliosis. Symptoms Scoliosis is often painless. Patients with scoliosis commonly see a spine specialist because they notice a problem with the way their back looks. People with scoliosis may notice some of the following things about their body: One shoulder or hip may be higher than the other One shoulder blade may be higher and stick out farther than the other A "rib hump" may occur, which is a hump on the back that sticks up when bending the spine forward. This occurs because the ribs on one side angle more than on the other side One arm hangs longer than the other because of a tilt in the upper body Back pain can eventually develop as the condition progresses. The deformity may cause pressure on the nerves and possibly even on the spinal cord. This can lead to weakness, numbness, and pain in the lower extremities. In severe cases, pressure on the spinal cord may cause loss of coordination in the muscles of the legs-making it difficult to walk normally. If the chest is deformed due to the scoliosis, the lungs and heart may be affected, leading to breathing problems, fatigue, and even heart failure. Fortunately these severe symptoms are rare. Because spinal bones continue to grow well into the early 20s, if left uncorrected, scoliosis often worsens. Unfortunately, the most common treatment approach has been to wait and see how bad it gets, resorting to unsightly braces, or eventually surgery if it progresses too far. The chiropractic approach is to use specific spinal adjustments, often combined with corrective exercises. If detected early enough, chiropractic doctors have had excellent success with scoliosis cases. Early detection and chiropractic correction is important for optimum results. Chiropractic care is a more natural solution. Specific chiropractic adjustments help improve the function and structure of the spine. Muscles strengthen. Posture can improve. And the spine can "right itself." Isn`t a certain amount of sideways curvature normal? Any type of sideways curvature is abnormal. From the back, the spine should appear straight. When scoliosis is present, there are usually two curves. A primary curve in one direction and a compensatory curve in the opposite direction. Does a lack of calcium or carrying a heavy book bag cause scoliosis? No. However, there are a growing number of authorities who believe uncorrected spinal damage from the birth process may be involved. Others suggest that using walkers to encourage early walking may be a culprit. What's the best time for a scoliosis examination? As with the case of many health problems, early detection can improve the likelihood of correction. Wise parents consult our office soon after the birth of their child. Then they follow up with periodic chiropractic checkups throughout their child's developing years.

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