Chiropractic care can help improve the symptoms of scoliosis. Scoliosis can be treated in various ways to help alleviate pain and restore normal functionality.
What is scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine that causes stiffness and pain. It is called an idiopathic disease because the cause of it is unknown. Scoliosis is more common in females and begins in childhood. However, merely 2 percent of the population is afflicted. If it is detected early, scoliosis treatment will prevent it from worsening over time.
Scoliosis is derived from the Greek term meaning curvature. People with scoliosis have a sideways curve in their spine that makes an “S” or “C” shape. The vertebrae can rotate at the thoracic level of the spine causing this curve and resulting in a hump near the rib cage. If the curve is more than 60 degrees it is considered serious. Usually this curve makes the waist or shoulders uneven. And unlike the normal curvature of the spine, adjusting your posture will not correct the problem.
In some instances, the degenerative diseases of the spine can cause scoliosis. Osteoporosis is when the bones soften and usually occurs in older people. This softening can cause the vertebrae to bend and shape the curve causing scoliosis or kyphosis (round back). If not treated properly, severe back pain, deformity, and difficulty breathing can be some symptoms that will arise.
What can I do to treat scoliosis?
Chiropractic care can help improve scoliosis. We look at your overall health examining your spine as well as other factors of your lifestyle. To help identify the problem’s cause, we will discuss symptoms and previous injuries, your family’s health history, and recreational and work-related activities.
Most exams for scoliosis include the Adam’s Forward Bending Test and have been adopted by many schools, whereas they test for this in physical education classes. It requires the person to bend at the waist as someone views the spinal alignment. If there is an abnormal prominence or hump we can help you. We will measure the length of the legs to determine unevenness. We also perform a range of motion test that measures the degree to which the patient has mobility at the waist. If needed, we will refer you to a specialist for further scoliosis treatment.
An orthopedic brace can be used to prevent the curve from worsening and does not limit physical activity. This is usually only an option if you are younger and still developing. Once a person is fully grown, there is not much that can be done to decrease the curve, but there is a lot that can be done to manage minimize pain and decrease the chances of chronic pain and conditions developing. Even with significant scoliosis, normal function is possible if the patient is proactive with his/her physical health. Moist heat will help alleviate some pain. In extreme cases surgery may be required but only after the continuous observation has shown that a brace is not helping. Spinal fusion and instrumentation is a surgery specialized for people with scoliosis whereas rods and hooks are inserted to help align your spine and prevent further curving.
Regular visits to a chiropractor to observe the progression of scoliosis are an integral part of living a full and happy life. Scoliosis can be treated in various ways to help alleviate pain and restore normal functionality. Regardless of the treatment used, physical therapy may be added to scoliosis treatment to increase muscle strength and mobility.
What can I do at home for “scoliosis”?
Have Your Children Checked for Scoliosis Early
Early diagnosis is key if you want a chance to minimize the curvature once it starts, so make sure your child is checked for scoliosis at a young age. Of course a professional will need to confirm it, but here is a quick test to determine if there is a curve in the spine. CLICK HERE
Flexibility and Mobility are KEYS to Quality of Life with Scoliosis
The body is so resilient, it will adjust to these spinal changes that happen with scoliosis and full function and quality of life, and even sports are possible. But Yoga and functional fitness training are essential to achieving that maximum performance and quality of life with scoliosis. I highly recommend the yoga class at Max Fitness. I also highly recommend Northwest BOD for functional group/boot camp style fitness training. They focus on core training and functional movement exercises with their workouts for all levels of fitness. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON NORTHWEST BOD
Home Routine for Flexibility and Mobility
Here is a home routine of exercises that you can print out and if you do these once a day, it will help decrease pain and improve function and flexibility in the spine. CLICK HERE for .PDF
Stayed tuned for more tips and information about chronic pain, sports medicine, and other musculoskelatal conditions. My goal as your Bend Chiropractor is to educate the community on how through some simple lifestyle changes you can find pain relief and improve your quality of life for good.
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