How Does the Doctor Diagnose Scoliosis?
• Medical history: The doctor talks to the patient and the patient’s parent or parents and reviews the patient’s records to look for medical problems that might be causing the spine to curve; for example, birth defects, trauma, or other disorders that can be associated with scoliosis. • Physical examination: The doctor looks at the patient’s back, chest, pelvis, legs, feet, and skin. The doctor checks if the patient’s shoulders are level, whether the head is centered, and whether opposite sides of the body look level. The doctor also examines the back muscles while the patient is bending forward to see if one side of the rib cage is higher than the other. If there is a significant asymmetry (difference between opposite sides of the body), the doctor will refer the patient to an orthopedic spine specialist (a doctor who has experience treating people with scoliosis). Certain changes in the skin, such as so-called cafe au lait spots, can suggest that the scoliosis is caused by a birth de
