Treatments for Scoliosis

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA

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Risk Factors

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatment

Screening

Reducing Your Risk

Talking to Your Doctor

Living With Scoliosis

Resource Guide

A person with scoliosis is checked often to check whether the curve is getting worse. Bracing or surgery may be needed. Treatment is done in people with curves greater than 20 to 25 degrees. Surgery is done in people with curves greater than 40 to 50 degrees.

The goals of treatment are:

Stopping the curve from getting worse
Lessening the curve with surgery
Limiting future health problems, such as lung disease due to restriction of a deformed chest cavity

Treatment involves:

Surgery

Other treatments for scoliosis

Medicine cannot treat scoliosis.

REFERENCES:

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/adolescent-idiopathic-scoliosis. Updated June 1, 2019. Accessed July 24, 2019.

Congenital scoliosis and kyphosis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/congenital-scoliosis-and-kyphosis. Updated January 19, 2016. Accessed July 24, 2019.

Infantile and juvenile idiopathic scoliosis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/infantile-and-juvenile-idiopathic-scoliosis. Updated March 5, 2018. Accessed July 24, 2019.

Idiopathic scoliosis in children and adolescents. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons website. Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/idiopathic-scoliosis-in-children-and-adolescents. Updated March 2015. Accessed July 24, 2019.

Scoliosis in children and adolescents. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at: https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/scoliosis. Updated December 30, 2015. Accessed July 24, 2019.

Last reviewed June 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Daniel A. Ostrovsky, MD Last Updated: 10/18/2019

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