Article: There are several physical signs that may indicate the presence of scoliosis. Because most cases of scoliosis affect the mid-to-upper back (called the thoracic spine), uneven shoulder levels is a common sign. Look in the mirror with your shirt off, relax your arms, and see if your shoulders are uneven.  "Humping" of shoulders blades (one that sticks out more) is also common with thoracic scoliosis. Bend over at the waist with your shirt off and ask a friend or family member to see if one shoulder blade sticks up more. Your ribs may also be distorted due to scoliosis, which can cause your shoulder blades to become distorted as well. Keep in mind that uneven shoulders are also common in certain types of athletes who use primarily one arm all the time, such as tennis players and baseball pitchers. In addition to uneven shoulders, watch for other signs of asymmetry in your body, such as your head being a little off center from your torso or pelvis. Both thoracic and lumbar (lower back) scoliosis causes a crooked posture that can often be seen in how the head is positioned over the rest of the body.  Due to input from the visual center of your brain, your head will normally be completely level, so if it looks like you're leaning to one side or crooked, the problem likely exists in your body (typically your spine). Stand away from the mirror and have a friend or family member take a picture of you in a bathing suit. Look at the picture for any signs of leaning or asymmetry in relation to your head. Scoliosis in the lower thoracic or lumbar regions of the spine invariably affect the balance and symmetry of your pelvis. One side will be raised and look unusually high, which makes your waist uneven. Stand in front of a mirror with just pants or shorts on. Position your hands above your waist on the sides of your hip bones (iliac crests) and see if they are uneven.  Although a crooked upper back with uneven shoulders can often be hidden with clothing, an uneven pelvis/hips is often obvious to onlookers, who might bring your attention to it. An uneven waistline affects how pants sit on your hips, which affects the relative leg lengths of the pants. Thus, people with scoliosis often notice that one pant leg is shorter than the other. Some people even notice that one leg looks longer than the other. Although skin changes don't happen in every case of scoliosis, some people experience skin changes early on in life and then develop scoliosis later on. If the appearance or texture of your skin overlying your spine develops dimples, hairy patches, rough spots and/or color abnormalities, these may be signs of dysraphism, or abnormal development of the spinal cord and nervous system. However, these skin changes usually happen early in life and lead to scoliosis at a young age.  Ask your spouse or friend to examine the skin of your back closely under good light. Have them take a high resolution picture and look at or show it to a dermatologist for a professional opinion. Other causes of similar skin changes on the back can include inflammatory arthritis, an underlying infection, skin cancer from too much sun and hormonal changes. Most people who develop idiopathic scoliosis, which means from unknown cause, don't feel much or any pain associated from the condition. However, between 20-25% of people with idiopathic scoliosis do feel pain, which is often described as a constant ache throughout the day punctuated by bouts of sharp pain with vigorous movements.  Upper or lower back pain that doesn't get better or fade away within a week should be looked at by a health professional. If you also have any of the above-mentioned signs, then scoliosis is a possibility. Manual therapy (chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage) does not make a significant long-term impact on back pain caused by scoliosis. Adult scoliosis caused by degenerative arthritis, tumors, spinal trauma and/or muscular diseases have a much greater incidence of pain compared to idiopathic scoliosis that starts during adolescence.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Look for uneven shoulders. Watch for a head that's not centered. Assess the symmetry of your hips / pelvis. Consider your history of skin changes. Be alert to constant (chronic) spinal pain.

Although your body requires sodium in small amounts, consuming too much sodium is bad for you and can lead to hypertension, heart disease and stroke. If you suffer from high blood pressure, take steps to reduce your sodium intake:  Do not add salt to foods when cooking but use other spices instead (cumin, lemon pepper, fresh herbs). Rinse canned foods to remove sodium. Buy foods that are labeled “low sodium” or “sodium free.” Avoid processed foods, such as crackers, fried items, and baked goods, that often are high in sodium. Also avoid eating fast food and ask for reduced sodium when ordering in restaurants. A high fiber diet may help reduce your risk of hypertension. Fortunately, it’s easy to get fiber from the healthy foods you’re likely already eating. Incorporate more whole grains, fresh veggies, and fruit with the skin on it into your diet. This will help you consume at least 25 grams of fiber each day.  Make sure you get at least six to eight servings of whole grains every day. Switch refined grains to whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat pasta and bread. Potassium-rich foods should be a part of your hypertension management diet. Foods you should add include sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kidney beans, orange juice, bananas, peas, potatoes, dried fruits, melon and cantaloupe. Keep your target potassium levels moderate (around 2,000 to 4,000 mg a day). Dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure, though it might not work the same for everyone. Eat dark chocolate whenever you’re craving a treat. Choose a bar that has at least 70% cocoa.  Eat a half an ounce of dark chocolate that has at least 70% of cocoa per day.  Because dark chocolate is high in calories, be sure not to overindulge. Besides being bad for blood pressure, caffeine and alcohol also have other negative health effects to you and your baby during pregnancy. Thus, you should avoid both, especially if you suffer from high blood pressure.  Drinking caffeine during pregnancy has been linked to declined placental blood flow and a risk of miscarriage. Although more studies are needed to confirm the effects of caffeine, it is best to switch to decaf during your pregnancy.  High alcohol consumption is known to raise blood pressure and it is also known to have negative effects on your unborn baby. Before drinking any alcohol, even just one glass of wine, consult your doctor. A clinical study demonstrated that systolic blood pressure can be lowered by adding these foods to your diet.  Add low-fat or fat-free dairy products (such as milk, cottage cheese, yogurt) to your diet. If you are lactose intolerant, try a milk alternative, such as almond, coconut, or hemp milk.  You can also try soy milk, but you may want to limit soy products during pregnancy since it may increase estrogen levels in your fetus.  Go easy on the amount of cheese you eat (even low-fat) due to their high sodium content.
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Avoid salt and high-sodium foods, which increase your risk. Consume more whole grains and fresh produce to get fiber. Eat potassium-rich foods to help lower your blood pressure. Indulge with dark chocolate. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks. Add soy and low-fat milk products to help lower your blood pressure.