Episode Transcript Excerpt

Dick. HOST: Can you explain for us what dextroscoliosis means?

DR. DICK: Dextroscoliosis — that is a really big word and probably a little intimidating. "Dextro" comes from the Latin for right. So dextroscoliosis refers specifically to a scoliotic curve that bends to the right side. There are a few different types of scoliosis based on the direction of the curve and the location.

HOST: What symptoms can develop if dextroscoliosis is left untreated?

DR. DICK: As the curve progresses, patients can develop uneven shoulder height, a prominent shoulder blade on one side, uneven waist or hip height, and rib prominence when bending forward — what we call a rib hump. The more the curve progresses, the more rigid the spine becomes and the less responsive it is to conservative treatment.

HOST: Can you walk us through what the CLEAR treatment process looks like?

DR. DICK: CLEAR treatment protocols include three phases. The first phase prepares the body for treatment — using a variety of therapies to relax the spine and surrounding muscles, making the body more responsive. The next step involves scoliosis-specific chiropractic adjustments. They are far more complex and precise than general chiropractic care. These feature the use of advanced mechanical adjusting instruments designed to achieve gentle but precise corrective results. The third phase is remodeling — reinforcing the correction and training the body to maintain the improved position.

HOST: Can CLEAR treatment achieve corrective results without surgery?

DR. DICK: When it comes to treatment of dextroscoliosis, a conservative chiropractic-centered approach delivered by a CLEAR-certified scoliosis chiropractor can help achieve corrective results without the need for invasive surgery. The first patient call comes directly to me. When I work one on one with my patients, the patient and I discuss what their history is and what's occurring presently.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is dextroscoliosis?

Dextroscoliosis is a scoliosis curve that bends to the right side. The prefix 'dextro' comes from the Latin for right. It is one of several scoliosis classifications based on the direction of the primary curve. Most thoracic scoliosis curves are dextroscoliosis — right-sided curves in the thoracic spine.

What symptoms can develop if dextroscoliosis is left untreated?

As the curve progresses, patients can develop uneven shoulder height, a prominent shoulder blade on one side, uneven waist or hip height, and rib prominence when bending forward — a rib hump. The more the curve progresses, the more rigid the spine becomes and the less responsive it is to conservative treatment.

What are the three phases of CLEAR treatment?

CLEAR treatment protocols include three phases. The first phase prepares the body using therapies that relax the spine and surrounding muscles. The second phase involves scoliosis-specific chiropractic adjustments — more complex and precise than general chiropractic care, using advanced mechanical instruments to achieve gentle corrective results. The third phase is remodeling — reinforcing the correction and training the body to maintain the improved structural position.

Can dextroscoliosis be treated without surgery?

A conservative chiropractic-centered approach delivered by a CLEAR-certified scoliosis chiropractor can help achieve corrective results without the need for invasive surgery, particularly when treatment begins before curves reach surgical thresholds.