Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine greater than ten degrees off the vertical line. Some cases develop in childhood, often during growth spurts. Others appear later in life from posture habits, degeneration, or injury. The curve itself is not always painful at first, but it changes how the spine carries weight, and over time the body pays for it. Pain in the back, neck, or hips can follow. In more advanced cases, lung capacity and overall mobility can be affected.

Early detection matters. The earlier a curve is identified, the more options exist for slowing or stabilizing it. The standard screening tools include a visual postural exam, the Adams forward bend test, and X-rays to measure the degree of curvature.

Dr. Lena Hartwell does not promise to straighten an established structural curve. What chiropractic care can do is reduce the compensatory misalignments that build up around the curve, ease the pain that comes from those compensations, and support better function. The Gonstead method is well suited to this work because it adjusts only the joints that need it, which matters when the spine has unusual mechanics. For many patients, ongoing care keeps the curve from worsening, holds the surrounding joints in better position, and allows for a more active life than the diagnosis alone might suggest.