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What are the treatment options?
Anyone can do a simple check at home to see if they have any signs of scoliosis. Dr. Greg Poulter, an OrthoIndy spine doctor, gives step-by-step instructions on how to check yourself or your child at home.
“I recommend that people be aware of scoliosis throughout a child’s growth and development, but recommend they start looking more closely around age 10 or 11 as that is when many of these curves become visible,” said Dr. Poulter. “The process to check for scoliosis is the same for children and adults. Although the process is the same what we find for a patient will defer based on their age.”
video: dr. poulter shows you how to check for scoliosis
Routine screenings aren’t performed in schools anymore. Young children will usually find out they have scoliosis during a wellness check with their pediatrician.
If you suspect you or your child have scoliosis, the next step is to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic spine doctor. The process to diagnose the condition is the same regardless of the type of scoliosis.
How is a spinal deformity diagnosed?
The OrthoIndy Spine team consists of seven fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeons. The spine doctors at OrthoIndy use the latest technology and surgical procedures to treat your condition by reducing your back pain and improving your quality of life.
During your appointment, your physician will:
- Ask you for a complete medical history
- Ask you to describe symptoms
- Conduct a physical examination
- Take X-rays or an MRI to confirm the diagnosis
FIND A SCOLIOSIS DOCTOR NEAR ME
Treatment in children
If the spinal curve is between 25 and 40 degrees, your spine doctor will try non-surgical treatment options before recommending surgery. These treatment options include observation or bracing.
“A scoliosis patient will wear a custom fit spinal brace, often part-time until they reach skeletal maturity,” said Dr. Michael Coscia, an OrthoIndy spine doctor treating patients in Indianapolis and Greenwood. “For young ladies, this is at about the two-year point after they began having their monthly periods. For young men, it varies depending on what age they initiated their growth spurt.”
Dr. Coscia adds that during the bracing period they use X-rays to check your progress every six months.
A scoliosis brace prevents the curve from getting worse. Children wear the brace until they have finished growing.
When curves exceed 45 degrees, your back doctor will talk to you about surgical options.
SCOLIOSIS BRACE TYPES AND RESOURCES
Treatment in adults
For adults, the most common non-surgical treatments include:
- Observation by your spine doctor
- Physical therapy focusing on developing core strength
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for back pain
- Moist heat on your back
- Steroid injections
“Non-surgical treatments in adults treat the scoliosis symptoms and not necessarily the curvature of the spine,” said Dr. O’Neill. “In most cases, adults will not need surgery; however, surgery may be performed to relieve pressure on the spinal cord, stop the condition from worsening, or to reduce or stabilize the deformity.”
When curves exceed 45 degrees, your back doctor will talk to you about surgical options.
READ ARTICLE: IS IT TIME FOR BACK SURGERY?
When non-operative treatments aren’t effective, or if the curves are big enough that they would likely worsen over time, your doctor will talk to you about surgery.
To reduce the curve and improve stability, your surgeon will likely perform a spinal fusion. The procedure permanently fuses the affected vertebrae together. This allows the vertebrae to heal as a single, solid bone, eliminating motion between them.
Read article: what is a spinal fusion surgery?
What are scoliosis surgery risks?
As any surgeon will tell you, with any surgery there are risks. While spine surgery is safe, some risks may include:
- Infection
- Pain at the graft site
- Bleeding or blood loss during surgery
- Nerve damage or spinal cord injury
- Complications from the implant
- Formation of blood clots in the legs
- Nonunion, which is when the vertebrae do not grow together
Download: Pros and Cons of Back Surgery
If your condition requires surgery, the spine surgeons at OrthoIndy have surgical privileges at their very own orthopedic-specialty hospital. OrthoIndy Hospital has received national recognition for its spine care and patient satisfaction. These awards include:
Are there alternatives to spinal fusion surgery?
One alternative to a spinal fusion surgery is a non-fusion surgery or anterior vertebral body tethering. “This type of surgery corrects the curve without having to fuse it,” said Dr. Schwartz. “The research on it is still early with regards to success.”
While it’s not an alternative to a spinal fusion, your OrthoIndy physician may use a spine robot or intra-operative navigation to help with your spinal fusion surgery. OrthoIndy Hospital was the first hospital in Indiana to purchase the Mazor XTM Robotic Guidance System.
“The Mazor X is a tool that does not replace me as a surgeon but rather enhances my ability to safely and reliably perform surgery,” Dr. Poulter said. “Robotics is revolutionizing adult scoliosis surgery and we are at the forefront of this technology.”
READ ARTICLE: HOW SPINE ROBOTICS ARE USED TO CORRECT SPINAL CURVES