Spine Disorders
WHEN TO SEE A SPINE
SPECIALIST Medical care should be
sought when a scoliosis is fist detected. Your primary care physician will most
likely refer you to a chiropractic physican or other spine specialist for
further examination and consideration for care and/or monitoring. A thorough
evaluation will include assessment for scoliosis. If you notice or have been
told that that you have uneven shoulders or an uneven pelvis you should be
screened for scoliosis. You should seek the advice
of a spine specialist if neck or back pain persists for more than two weeks or
if it is progressive in intensity and/or distribution. You should seek
immediate healthcare attention if neck or back pain occurs as the result of an
injury or if it is associated with serious illness and/or a high fever.
Additional signs and symptoms, which warrant prompt medical attention, include:
SCREENING AND DIAGNOSIS If you think your child may have
scoliosis, you should bring the child in to your doctor for an examination. The
doctor will ask questions including if there is any family history of
scoliosis, or if the child has any pain, weakness, or other medical problems. There are
different ways to evaluate for scoliosis. A standard exam that is often used by pediatricians
and in initial school screenings is called the Adam's Forward Bend Test. Most
schools test children in the fifth or sixth grade, and the Adams’ Forward Bend
Test can be administered easily by school nurses or parent volunteers. For this
test, the patient is asked to lean forward with his or her feet together and
bend 90 degrees at the waist. The examiner can then easily view from this angle
any asymmetry of the trunk or any abnormal spinal curvatures. It should be
noted that this is a simple screening test that can detect potential problems,
but cannot determine accurately the exact severity of the deformity. |