Help for Your Scoliosis

There are a number of things that may surprise you about scoliosis, which is a spine abnormality where a sideways spinal curvature develops. Over 3 million cases are diagnosed each year. Although the majority of cases are diagnosed when adolescents experience a growth spurt between 10 and 15 years of age, the cause of most of them can’t actually be traced. 

Plenty of adults are also diagnosed with degenerative scoliosis, and most are female. Adult cases are often linked to simple wear and tear of the discs and spinal joints over time. 

Fortunately, Dr. Benjamin Cohen diagnoses and treats both children and adults with scoliosis, and provides comprehensive care for health conditions associated with scoliosis, including osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. 

The symptoms of scoliosis vary

You can be a teen with scoliosis and experience zero pain, but develop significant physical irregularities, like asymmetrical shoulders and hips, which can affect your mobility. 

If you have a more extreme form of the condition, with a pronounced C- or S-shaped spine curvature, your posture may be altered and you might be unable to stand straight, or pain might be a constant companion. You might also have visibly uneven hips or shoulders, or ribs that protrude. 

If you’re an adult scoliosis sufferer, pinched nerves typically lead to severe stiffness and discomfort. 

What are my treatment options for scoliosis?

Believe it or not, a good number of scoliosis patients don’t need treatment if their curvature isn’t severe. However, if you’re advised to get it, there are multiple treatment options available to ease your symptoms and discomfort:

• Antiinflammatory medications
• A course of physical therapy 
• An assistive device such as a back brace 

However, if your spine curvature is greater than 40° to 50°, Dr. Cohen may advise a surgical treatment option: stabilization surgery. Not only does this surgery address your pain, it stops your scoliosis from progressing. 

What’s involved in stabilization surgery for scoliosis?

Dr. Cohen has extensive experience performing stabilization surgery, which involves placing metal implants to stabilize the spine and straighten it. Surgical solutions to scoliosis are minimally invasive and may involve:

• Spinal reconstruction, which Dr. Cohen performs in a minimally invasive way, spares you a great deal of post-surgical pain, blood loss and scarring, and a lengthy recovery period
• The introduction of rods and pins to make your spine more stable and fuse your vertebrae
• Spinal decompression, a stretching of the spine that eases symptoms through traction
• Spinal fusion therapy, in which Dr. Cohen puts grafted bone onto the affected vertebrae while employing metal rods, plates, or screws to stabilize the bones during the fusion process. Graft material comes from a small piece of bone removed from the hip, which contains living cells that promote bone growth. 

No matter which treatment option for scoliosis you need, you’re in the best hands possible With Dr. Cohen. 

Additionally, if your scoliosis is exacerbated by the fact that you endured less-than-satisfactory previous  surgical treatment, check out how old surgical mistakes can be remedied by revision spine surgery.  

Scoliosis solutions for every patient

It doesn’t matter whether your scoliosis was diagnosed when you were a teen or during adulthood — Dr. Cohen is here to treat you so you can say goodbye to the pain and deformity that scoliosis causes. Call our office today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Cohen, or reach out to us via our website.