Catalina Medical Center: Blog

This June is Scoliosis Awareness Month. At Catalina Medical Center in Redondo Beach, CA, we provide spinal adjustments and manipulations to improve our patients quality of life. Drs. Richard Cohen, Rob Josefsson, and Paul Newhouse also offer scoliosis screenings and evaluation. Early detection and prevention is the key to a healthy life. Diagnosing scoliosis during childhood produces the best results. Treatment before the bones have fully formed can correct potential problems.   To better understand how we treat scoliosis, you’ll need to understand what it is exactly. Scoliosis is caused by an abnormal spinal shape. Left untreated, adolescent scoliosis will follow a patient into adulthood. Other causes are injury, abnormal nerve or muscle formations, and/or bone abnormalities. The condition creates problems with your balance and height. It can also lead to degenerative disc disease and spinal osteoarthritis. There are four types of adult scoliosis: degenerative, idiopathic, neuromuscul...

Scoliosis is defined as an abnormal curve in the spine and there are several types of scoliosis based on the cause and age when the curve develops. Unfortunately, there is no cure for scoliosis, but there is treatment available. To diagnose scoliosis, our doctors at Catalina Medical Center will perform a series of physical tests to determine the severity of the spinal curve. During the physical exam, the doctor will ask if there is any history of scoliosis in your family and if you have experienced any pain or weakness. He or she may check range of motion, muscle strength, and reflexes, but will ultimately perform something called the forward-bend test. During this test, the patient will bend over as if they are trying to touch their toes. This position makes the curve more obvious to detect. If you have questions or concerns regarding chiropractic care or scoliosis, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit  www.catalinamedical.com  for more info...