Saturday, March 23, 2024
HomeEditor PicksHow To Fix Lower Back Scoliosis

How To Fix Lower Back Scoliosis

What Is The Prognosis For Scoliosis

Fix Your Scoliosis with a Foam Roller (Scroth’s Method)

School screening programs have helped to identify many cases of scoliosis early. This allows people to be treated with either observation or bracing and avoid the need for surgery in many cases. Most people with scoliosis can live full, productive, and normal lives with a relatively normal life expectancy. People with scoliosis are able to become pregnant and have children with no increased risk for complications. They may be at increased risk for additional low back pain during pregnancy. In general, as the degree of spine curvature increases, the prognosis worsens.

Newer advances in surgery have allowed for less invasive surgical methods that have less pain and shorter recovery periods. Surgery recovery time depends on the specific procedure that is performed some may require an extended hospital stay with an in-patient stay at a rehabilitation facility while others may recover quickly and not require a rehabilitation facility. These techniques are still being developed, but the initial results are very promising.

How To Treat Scoliosis

This article was medically reviewed by Troy A. Miles, MD. Dr. Miles is an Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in Adult Joint Reconstruction in California. He received his MD from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2010, followed by a residency at the Oregon Health & Science University and fellowship at the University of California, Davis. He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and is a member of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Association, American Association of Orthopaedic Surgery, and the North Pacific Orthopaedic Society.There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 173,114 times.

Yoga Poses To Avoid With Scoliosis

While the right scoliosis exercises can help alleviate secondary effects such as pain, the wrong ones can actually make the condition worse.

Physical therapist Christa Lehnert-Schroth has seen many scoliosis patients damaged from performing improper exercises. In some cases, our patients had performed bad exercises for years before coming to our clinic, and their condition was far worse and more difficult and time-consuming to correct than if they had done no exercises at all, she said.

When practicing yoga for scoliosis, avoid the following poses, which can have detrimental effects:

Bending backward:

Much common yoga poses hyperextend the middle back, including cobra, half-moon, locust, and sun salutation. These can actually increase the spinal curves in scoliosis patients.

Twisting the torso:

The spinal twist pose should never be used when performing yoga exercises for scoliosis. When the shoulders and rib cage are twisted against the pelvic girdle, the motion can exacerbate the contortions present in a scoliotic spine.

Bending the rib cage: Bending the rib cage forward, sideways, or backward can also cause the curves to worsen in patients with scoliosis. Yoga poses such as the side bend, triangle, seated twist, and sage twist fall into this category.

Also Check: Will Aleve Help Back Pain

The Difference Between Chiropractic Care And Physical Therapy

There are a few main differences between chiropractic care and physical therapy. Although each tailors its treatment plan to the individual, there are some general differences to consider when seeking treatment for scoliosis.

The main difference between the two is that doctors of chiropractic use chiropractic adjustment techniques to help straighten the spine directly. Physical therapists work on the spine indirectly, by focusing on the muscles that help the spine. To be clear, chiropractors also work on the spine indirectly by focusing on the muscles, in addition to spinal adjustments made with their hands or special instruments.

Physical therapy is often used after surgery or an injury, but it can also be used to help strengthen muscles, increase mobility, and decrease pain.

Luckily, you dont have to choose between chiropractic care and physical therapy. Many places offer both modalities in one building. One great example of this is our chiropractic care and physical therapy in Juneau. Scoliosis patients can get the best of both worlds when they visit. Some of the services chiropractic offices offer for scoliosis include:

  • Spinal Adjustments

Do Use A Quality Mattress

Lordosis

While there’s no best bed for scoliosis, finding the best mattress for scoliosis can take some work. A firm or medium-firm mattress is the best scoliosis mattress you can choose. You want to be certain to pick one that fits your child’s body well or yours if you have scoliosis. Skip the cushiony mattress pad, but use extra pillows for comfort.

You May Like: Back Pain Cleveland Clinic

How Are Uneven Hips Caused By Scoliosis Fixed

When it comes to addressing uneven hips caused by scoliosis, the key is to address its underlying cause: the scoliosis itself.

Here at the Center, we address uneven hips and other related postural scoliosis symptoms by impacting the condition on a structural level, first and foremost.

As scoliosis is structural in nature, this is where the biggest impact has to be made with treatment. Through our functional and chiropractic-centered approach, we work towards reducing the abnormal spinal curvature and increasing core strength so related muscles can better support and stabilize the spine.

My goal is to correct the abnormal curvature and restore as much of the spines healthy curves as possible, improving the spines overall biomechanics.

As an abnormal curvature is reduced, the adverse pressure causing the related pelvic tilt is relieved, and the hips can start to settle back into a more even position. As the uneven forces exposed to the body, through the scoliotic spine, are reduced, so too are its related postural symptoms.

As a scoliosis chiropractor, I focus on correcting the scoliotic spines misalignment through targeted chiropractic adjustments that return each vertebra of the curvature back to where it should be: in alignment with the rest of the spine.

Through scoliosis-specific exercises and stretches that loosen up related muscles, the alignment results can be augmented as the spine gets the support and stabilization it needs from surrounding musculature.

How To Fix Scoliosis Without Surgery

Before approaching the question of how to fix scoliosis without surgery, I have to be clear that theres no known way to fix scoliosis its an incurable condition with no known single cause. That being said, my functional scoliosis-specific chiropractic approach offers impressive results and includes a number of non-surgical strategies for managing the condition.

You May Like: Ibuprofen For Back Pain Dosage

The Path Of Treatment

The presence of an intermediate stop between the primary care provider and a scoliosis-specialized surgeon could be the fix for the currently flawed system.

The path of treatment and referral could be as follows:

First, a primary care provider should screen for scoliotic curvature and rotation, and they should refer to a doctor specializing in conservative scoliosis treatment.

Secondly, a doctor specializing in conservative scoliosis treatment can try natural approaches so that any time between diagnosis and a possible surgery is spent reducing the curve or slowing progression, rather than waiting while it worsens , or eliminating the need for surgery at all.

Lastly, and only if the scoliosis is unresponsive to conservative treatment, the patient can be referred to a scoliosis-specific surgeon, who can help the patient decide if a more invasive treatment approach is right for them.

In the United States, this is not the typical experience of a scoliosis patient. They are typically referred to a surgeon right away, who is an expert in surgical intervention, but not conservative treatment. With no bad intentions, but often plenty of ignorance of conservative methods, the surgeon often recommends that the patient do little to nothing until the curve is bad enough to warrant their specialty of treatmentsurgery.

Osteopathic Approach To Scoliosis

How to fix scoliosis naturally in 4 minutes a day

Osteopathy can help when looking into how to fix scoliosis. Were asked how to fix scoliosis without surgery often in clinic. Contact us for your healthy journey outlook for using osteopathy and exercises for scoliosis.Treating Scoliosis at Susannah Makram Clinics osteopathy and Scoliosis.

osteopathy and scoliosis

How much does your scoliosis affect your day to day movements and functions? Osteopathy with Susannah can help by reducing inflammation often created by small tears in overused muscle fibres with scoliosis using cupping massage combined with cyrotherapy.

Also, mobilising the thoracic spine , sternum, ribs, shoulders and associated muscles by gentle but precise traction and stretching.

Working into the fascia to stretch the diagram, and hip muscles, actively and passively to regain lost muscle memory and also lumbar spine. trying to increase the range of movement in both areas.

Also Check: Advil Vs Ibuprofen For Back Pain

How To Manage Adult Scoliosis

You may remember reporting to the nurse in middle school to be evaluated for scoliosis. If you were diagnosed with scoliosis in childhood, you likely wore a plastic brace as you grew. When most people hear of scoliosis they think of a younger teenager, but adults can develop scoliosis, too.

Adult scoliosis isnt a new diagnosis, but its still growing in recognition. The treatment for adults is much different than the treatment for adolescents, says Brigham and Womens Hospital neurosurgeon John Chi, MD, MPH.

Single Location Natural Approach

Finding a location that houses practitioners in all of these specialties can prove difficult, but thankfully, DCslike Dr. Tony Naldahave invested into developing places like The Scoliosis Reduction Center, where different scoliosis specialists can work togetherunder one roofto create a natural management plan that is individualized to the patient and coordinated between specialists.

Because multiple forms of treatment can be provided in one location, this not only increases patient compliance to treatment plans but also ensures that practitioners of different specialties can effectively communicate about treatment philosophy and management plans, improving the efficacy of multifaceted treatment.

Communication between practitioners is more vital than it may seem, as when practitioners do not communicate, one can end up with an orthotist bracing in a way that opposes the physical therapy a patient is receiving, or a series of chiropractic adjustments that oppose the massage therapy is performed.

Also Check: Advil For Back Pain Dosage

Don’t Sleep With The Lights On

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland when your child sleeps. This hormone regulates puberty, especially in girls. Studies show that people with scoliosis have lower melatonin levels. Since melatonin is secreted while you sleep, even the faintest light can slow or stop its release. A melatonin deficiency can cause the early onset of puberty and associated growth spurts, as well as scoliosis progression. If your child enters puberty early, she has an increased risk of scoliosis progression because their brain and body aren’t yet in sync.

Consequently, sleeping with a light, night light or television is harmful to children with scoliosis, or who are at risk of scoliosis due to it running in the family. A streetlight shining in the window also disrupts sleep and melatonin secretion. If you have adult scoliosis, you’ll want to avoid light at night, as well.

What Are The Treatments For Adult Degenerative Scoliosis

How to Relieve Your Scoliosis Back Pain in 30 SECONDS ...

There are a few treatment plans for adults who suffer from ADS. While treatment can be an excruciatingly painful process, the result is almost always relief for nearly every patient.

ADS will not go away on its own, so you should try to deal with it before it becomes an even bigger issue later on down the road.

Here are the three most effective ways to deal with Adult Degenerative Scoliosis:

You May Like: Will Aleve Help With Back Pain

How Long Should Physical Therapy Take

Most patients with scoliosis benefit from attending PT once or twice weekly for four to six weeks, and then following up at regular intervals to measure progress and to progress with exercises. Your physical therapist can work with you to develop the right follow up plan for your specific condition.

How To Deal With Adult Degenerative Scoliosis

Adult Degenerative Scoliosis, aka ADS, is a disorder in which the patient has degenerating vertebrae along their spine. ADS is unique and different from regular scoliosis in the sense that it can seem to develop in a short amount of time, often occurring in less than a year.

So, how do you deal with Adult Degenerative Scoliosis? Doctors have determined that chiropractic adjustments and exercises are some of the best ways to treat ADS. You may also require a back brace, depending on the severity of your case of ADS.

While Adult Degenerative Scoliosis can be a tricky disability to deal with, you’ll find this article will lend a helping hand in the process. The key to treating scoliosis is consistent, high-quality care from a licensed medical professional.

Don’t Miss: Back Pain Advil

What Treatment Options Are Available

Treatment options and outcomes for adultscoliosis have improved significantly over the years. Just a few decades ago,we could successfully treat scoliosis only in children and teens. Today, weknow that multimodal treatment a team approach and combinations of therapy is the best way to treat adult scoliosis and prevent recurrence of symptoms.

While back braces might be effective for scoliosis in children, its not a primary treatment for adults. Sometimes we recommend bracing to stabilize the spine during acute episodes of pain. But long-term bracing can do more harm than good in adults. It can weaken back muscles because they dont have to work to support the torso, putting additional stress on the discs in the spine and speeding up degeneration.

Physical therapy is the first-line treatment for adult scoliosis, which sometimes surprises patients if their backs or legs hurt during activity. A physical therapist can help patients develop proper back mechanics to minimize stress on the spine when lifting, bending, and exercising.

We also recommend other non-surgical approaches, such as acupuncture or dry needling and anti-inflammatory injections to help manage symptoms. Some patients benefit from getting epidural steroid injections to reduce the inflammation affecting the nerves and reduce sciatica pain.

Visual Symptoms Of Scoliosis

How To Fix Scoliosis Naturally In 4 Minutes A Day – WITHOUT Chiropractor Or Bone Cracking

As mentioned, just as curvature size can vary so significantly from one patient to the next, so too can experienced symptoms and related visual changes.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is the conditions most common form, accounting for 80 percent of known diagnosed cases, which is why for our current purposes, well focus on this type of scoliosis.

In adolescents, the most noticeable telltale signs of scoliosis are related to posture, body symmetry, and the appearance of the shoulders, shoulders blades, back, and hips.

In addition, you might notice that clothes dont seem to fit as well as they used to. Neck lines can seem to be pulled more to one side, and shirt sleeves and pant legs can appear to be hanging lower on one side than the other.

Its also fairly common to notice that the distance between the arm and torso is larger on one side than the other.

Other signs and symptoms of scoliosis related to posture include:

  • Ribs that protrude more on one side than the other
  • Protruding ribs are prominent when in a forward-bend position
  • Issues with unevenness during motion
  • Arms that are held tightly to the sides during motion
  • Head appearing uncentered over the torso
  • One shoulder or shoulder blade sitting higher or more prominently than the other
  • Legs that appear to be different lengths
  • A tiled eye line
  • A noticeably crooked spine, especially when in a forward-bend position
  • Uneven hips with one sitting higher and/or appearing more rounded than the other

You May Like: Aleve Or Ibuprofen For Back Pain

Age And Scoliosis Pain

Every patient has their own unique set of symptoms and strategies for managing those symptoms. In addition to the curvatures severity, there is another crucial factor that impacts the level of pain in my patients: age.

There is a lot of mystery that still surrounds scoliosis. A lot of that mystery resides around causation as 80 percent of diagnosed scoliosis cases are classed as idiopathic. Idiopathic means having no known single cause. Within that group, the majority of those cases are classed as adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, and this is where age and pain become relevant.

Pain Management For Scoliosis

Most patients with scoliosis have mild forms of the condition that are easily treatable with conservative treatment. For these individuals, there are many options for managing pain and improving posture.

According to Drs. Chi and Kang, its best to exhaust the following non-surgical, conservative treatments before consulting with a surgeon.

Don’t Miss: Will Naproxen Help Back Pain

What Causes Adult Degenerative Scoliosis

Several factors can cause ADS. Older adults are much more susceptible to it than younger people, although it’s not exclusive to any particular age group above 18 years of age.

ADS patients might also see osteoporosis occurring in their bones. In combination, these two disorders can cause pain, discomfort, and lifelong damage.

Adult Degenerative Scoliosis always seems to set on rather quickly, but it’s often a slow process. The vertebrae in question degenerates over time, eventually giving way and causing a slump or misalignment on one side of the spine.

Reevaluation And The Three Goals Of Ads Treatment

Fix Your Scoliosis with a Foam Roller (Scroth

When doctors finish a schedule of treatment for Adult Degenerative Scoliosis, they will try to determine if the patient is feeling or seeing any improvement in their symptoms. These improvements can range from physical pain to cosmetic misalignments and differences.

The reevaluation period is similar to the goals that they have in mind, but there are a few dissimilarities between the two. Both sets are necessary to figure out what steps should be taken next, including home care or self-treatment beyond monthly adjustments and other recommendations.

Also Check: Is Aleve Good For Lower Back Pain

Why Diet And Nutrition Are Extra Important For People With Scoliosis:

  • Leaner patients, especially when theyre adolescents, respond better to exercise, rehabilitation, chiropractic therapy, and corrective bracing.
  • Studies show a connection between neurotransmitters and the development of scoliosis. A diet rich in amino acids encourages the bodys natural development of neurotransmitters, which can positively impact the condition.
  • A diet including methylated B12 can help the body to produce neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.
  • Diet improves mood. Once patients see and feel the benefits of positive diet and nutrition changes, those affects transfer to other aspects of treatment they are then more likely to engage in a positive way.
  • Theres a connection between lower bone density and scoliosis. A diet that encourages strong bones can improve overall bone health.
  • A diet that counteracts inflammation also positively impacts bone health.

Now that weve discussed the general ways that food can impact scoliosis, lets take a look at some specific food suggestions that people with scoliosis should embrace and avoid.

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular