Jun 6 Therapies And Tips For Scoliosis Treatment
To help increase education, early detection, and awareness of scoliosis, June has been declaredNational Scoliosis Awareness Month in the United States. If you have mild to moderate scoliosis, it may be possible to restore a straight spine with conservative methods. Here are sixscoliosis treatment options to try before resorting to surgery.
Epidural Steroid Injections Spinal Injections
ESI injections are powerful steroids that are injected into the joint space to help ease pain and inflammation. Injections are used to settle the nerve pain down. Most do not have any proven long-term effect but injections can reduce acute pain or be used as part of a formal pain management program. As a first and conservative treatment option, weve found that a lot of our patients find significant pain relief with a single injection, others take a few injections to find some relief. Injections are helpful for most patients, and others do not find relief with an injection series.
Remedies For Scoliosis Pain
Here at the Scoliosis Reduction Center, weve learned a lot about the power of scoliosis-specific chiropractic treatment and pain management. Not only does our chiropractic-centered treatment approach have positive results in terms of managing the conditions progression and achieving a reduction, it also provides our patients with a lot of relief and helps restore function.
Also Check: Why Do I Feel A Sharp Pain In My Back
Knee Replacement Hip Replacement And Adult Symptomatic Lumbar Scoliosis
An August 2021 paper in the Journal of Neurosurgery. Spine saw doctors at the University of Virginia, Duke University Medical Center, Washington University School of Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, and the University of California, San Francisco, California combined data to help better assess the substantial health impact of adult symptomatic lumbar scoliosis. They note that these patients often have other orthopedic problems that have not been previously measured in a quality way in the research. To address this problem the researchers examined the disease burden of other orthopedic conditions in patients with adult symptomatic lumbar scoliosis to offer guidelines and recommendations for treatment.
- Two hundred eighty-six patients were enrolled in this study, with 173 scoliosis with previous surgery and 113 nonoperative patients divided into groups, and 81% with 4-year follow-up data.
- At an average follow-up of almost 4 years, 104 non-thoracolumbar orthopedic events were reported, affecting 69 patients .
- The most common events were joint replacement , fracture , joint ligament/cartilage repair , and cervical decompression/fusion .
Lumbar Curvature That Developed During Adolescence Accelerates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration In Adulthood
Lets look at a November 2020 study in the aptly named medical journal Spine Deformity Here doctors want to understand how the Residual lumbar curvature that developed during adolescence accelerates intervertebral disc degeneration in adulthood. That is actually the title of the paper.
Here are the learning points:
- A total of 102 patients who had developed idiopathic scoliosis at the age of 10-18 years and underwent preoperative lumbar spine MRI after the age of 20 were included in the study.
- These patients were in a group that was recommended for corrective surgery. In fact, they were being classified by surgical plan modifiers. Many of you are probably very familiar with the surgical modifier categories.
The findings:
- Group A patients with lumbar modifier A, a less pronounced C shape to their spine had significant degenerative disc disease at L2/3 and L3/4
- the Group BC patients, with greater abnormal curvature, had significant degenerative disc disease at all levels except for L5/S1.
- The proportion of degenerative disc disease patients was significantly higher in Group BC than those in Group A at L3/L4 and L4/L5.
Don’t Miss: Can Acupuncture Help Lower Back Pain
Reduced Spinal Rotation & Torque On The Scoliosis Spine
Scoliosis curve progression is driven by spinal rotation causing a torque type corkscrew effect seen on a 2-dimensional x-ray as just a bending spine. This torque is being caused by the coordinated misfiring of spinal muscles to hold the spine in a twisted position when upright to gravity. Anyone who just stands in a semi-twisted position for any length of time will tell you it is a lot harder and tiring than just standing normally, so it stands to reason holding your spine in a twisted position for long periods of time would be exhausting and uncomfortable.
The Scoliosis Activity Suit targets the spinal rotation and reduces the scoliosis curve by causing your brain to untwist it, thus reducing torque on the spinal column.
Physical Therapy And Exercise
Movement can usually help anyone with scoliosis, regardless of the Cobb angle or the age, and these types of exercises can typically be done at home.
While specific exercises must be geared to each individual, the general aim is to strengthen the muscles that support your spine, Dr. Cunningham says. Physical therapy takes a similar approach. “We want to provide symmetry to the muscle strength and muscle length,” says APTA spokesperson Nancy Durban, PT, DPT.
If you’re not sure which exercises might help you, consider working with a physical therapist, who can tailor a movement plan to your fitness level and degree of scoliosis.
Also Check: How Do I Get Rid Of My Lower Back Pain
Lumbar Scoliosis Surgery Then Hip Replacement
They have been trying to talk me into surgery for years
As you have seen, and as many of you know personally, hip pain is often accompanied by scoliosis, or scoliosis is often accompanied by hip pain. That is not a play on words, it depends on what your primary diagnosis is. For many people who have been managing their lumbar scoliosis and have developed hip pain along the way, they are told that they should consider prioritizing their pain so that the proper sequence of surgeries can be scheduled. For some people, surgery is the only way because they may have a level of degeneration in their hip where the ball of the hip has collapsed and bone spurs have now frozen the joint, or there is continued, burning nerve pain and numbness in the feet.
For some people, the thought of a sequence of surgeries is very unappealing.
For some people, the thought of a sequence of surgeries is very unappealing. This could be especially true in active, physical people who see surgery as a prolonged period of inactivity. Some are also concerned that once you do one surgery, then you open yourself up for more repeated surgeries. Here is a sample of a concern expressed to us:
Lets stop here for a second and remind everyone that many people do very well with hip replacements and then subsequent surgery for lumbar scoliosis. Some people do not.
Adolescent Scoliosis And Pain
Adolescents with scoliosis experience pain very differently from adults with the condition. The most common age of diagnosis is between 10 and 18 years of age. This age group experiences the most rapid phase of growth, known as puberty. During this stage, the body is constantly growing and changing.
While the body is growing, the spine is experiencing an upward growth motion as the body is elongating. That upward growth is why adolescent scoliosis patients report very little, if any, pain.
You May Like: How To Prevent Lower Back Pain When Running
Recommended Yoga Poses For Scoliosis
Yoga offers several easy poses for beginners that can help those with scoliosis find their center, strengthen their core muscles, decrease their pain, and focus on their breath. When practiced regularly, they can help improve patients quality of life. Note: These poses are generally safe scoliosis exercises in seniors.
Mountain pose: This yoga pose requires a tall and steady stance, which helps develop balance and core strength.
Tree pose: Also a standing pose, this stance offers additional balance and core strengthening while also helping with posture for scoliosis patients.
Cat pose: This kneeling pose opens space between vertebrae in the spine and stretches the supporting muscles and tendons, which can help loosen up the back.
The Top 5 Benefits Of The Strauss Method
The Strauss Method has given scoliosis sufferers freedom, quality of life, and peace of mind. You wont believe the additional benefits that come with slowing your progression and decreasing your pain. You have the opportunity to non-invasively improve your condition and your life. What would you give to have hope that your condition will not get worse, but instead will improve?
You May Like: What Causes Pain On The Right Side Of Your Back
The Turning Rotating Vertebrae Of Scoliosis
A brief summary up until this point. Scoliosis means that the spine is crooked. It can become crooked because the spine is held together by the spinal ligaments. The patient often experiences pain at the site where the spine curves. At the apex of this curve, the ligaments are being stretched with scoliosis, and localized ligament weakness is one of the etiological bases for it
A July 2021 study published in the journal World Neurology focused on a rotating top vertebrae as the cause of vertebral rotatory subluxation and cause the problems of scoliosis. In this study 86 patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis were divided into 2 groups: with vertebral rotatory subluxation and without vertebral rotatory subluxation . The researchers then measured the impact of vertebral rotatory subluxation on the spine and pelvis. What was the impact? Vertebral rotatory subluxation is an important characteristic to consider in degenerative lumbar scoliosis that can affect the coronal and sagittal alignment. The wandering rotating vertebrae are causing the scoliosis situation.
So what can this mean? Possibly strengthening the ligament attachments in the spine can help.
Abnormal hip and low back MRI findings are common- MRI doesnt always show the real cause of pain
Treatments For Degenerative Scoliosis
If youâre an adult with degenerative scoliosis, your doctor might recommend physical therapy, stretches, and exercises to help you build up your strength. Over-the-counter medication and using a brace for short periods of time might help to relieve your pain. If your legs bother you, an epidural or nerve block injection can offer temporary relief.
You may be disabled by pain in your back or legs from degenerative scoliosis. This can reduce the quality of your life. If nonsurgical treatments havenât helped you, it may be time for an operation.
Surgery can improve your spinal balance and relieve nerve pressure on your spine, which helps with pain. The bones in your spine may be fused together to correct its alignment.
After spinal surgery, youâll need plenty of time to recover, many follow-up visits to your doctor, and physical therapy. Before your operation, talk with your family and friends about the kind of support youâll need as you get better. Some people choose to stay in a nursing home or rehabilitation facility for a while after surgery.
Also Check: How To Beat Lower Back Pain
Consider Seeing A Physiotherapist
If your pain is bad, it may also be worth seeing a physiotherapist who can give you special exercises for your case and show you how to do them safely. They can also provide other treatments which may help provide scoliosis pain relief including massages and acupuncture. I have seen many physiotherapists over the years and had massage therapy and acupuncture, both of which have helped me. I have also been referred to Pilates classes by my GP.
Types And Causes Of Scoliosis Pain
Scoliosis usually isnt painful, particularly in childhood. Even when patients do experience pain, it is often not caused by the curve itself but by secondary issues, such as spinal degeneration. Adults with idiopathic scoliosis tend to have more symptoms than teens because the degeneration in their discs and joints causes spinal nerve openings to narrow discoordination of spinal muscle firing patterns leaves some muscle groups doing much more work than others, resulting in dull, achy, burning, cramping spasms.
There are several types of adult scoliosis pain, including:
Don’t Miss: Why Am I Getting Back Pain
Is A Back Brace Good For Scoliosis
The Goal of Bracing A scoliosis curve usually does not improve without surgery. However, studies have shown that wearing a back brace as prescribed can often prevent the progression of scoliosis. As such, wearing a brace can be an effective way to keep a scoliosis curve’s Cobb angle relatively small and manageable.
What Are The Symptoms Of Adult Scoliosis
Most cases of adult scoliosis dont cause symptoms, though pain may develop. Back pain occurs for many reasons including arthritis, inability to stand upright, and/or due to weakness of the core musculature and loss of conditioning. Leg pain/numbness/weakness may develop if there is pressure on the nerves in the lumbar spine.
In some cases, changes in the body may include:
- Uneven alignment of the pelvis and hips
Don’t Miss: How To Cope With Lower Back Pain
Lower Back Pain Treatments
Our doctors approach lower back pain treatments as a serious subject. As patients recover from a back injury, they begin to learn how to safely strengthen their back to help prevent injuries in the future. Also, your therapist can teach you specific exercises that will help reduce your back pain now and help you begin a new set of habits that will help keep your back healthy.
This presentation will help patients understand what each part of a rehabilitation program does. In addition, it will also teach patients how the back works and how to reduce or prevent further injury while the back heals.
- First, you will learn why the spine requires proper balancing in the Neutral Spine Position.
- Then you will see how to use the neutral spine position in everyday activities such as walking and lifting. Learning to lift properly plays an important part and a whole section has been devoted to the rules of lifting.
- Finally, you will learn how you can benefit from exercise, after an injury and as protection against further injury.
Conservative Care Treatment Options For Lumbar Scoliosis
Many people will be able to manage their scoliosis-related problems with conservative care. It is likely that many people reading this article have been doing these treatments for years already and they are exploring other ways to achieve pain relief and some degree in the improvement of function.
A June 2020 paper in the journal Pain Medicine evaluated the effectiveness of nonsurgical treatments in symptomatic adult degenerative scoliosis. The researchers reviewed six previously published studies which included outcome studies specifically on injections, bracing, or physical therapy and yoga and multiple treatment programs. The conclusion the study team reached was: Literature describing the effectiveness of nonoperative treatments in symptomatic adult degenerative scoliosis is scarce. The quantity and quality of the evidence regarding injections, bracing, and yoga are insufficient to advise for or against the use of these methods to improve outcomes in symptomatic adult degenerative scoliosis. For these and other nonoperative treatment forms, further research is needed. Many of you may have found long or short-term relief in some of these treatments. Perhaps you are looking for more of the same type of treatment or these treatments no longer provide comfort.
What are we seeing in this image?
Also Check: Does Ibs Cause Back Pain
What Is Adult Scoliosis
Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine . There is a natural, forward-and-backward curve to the spine. With scoliosis, the spine rotates and develops a side-to-side curve. Curves may be as mild as 10 degrees, or as severe as 100 degrees or more.
Most cases of scoliosis are mild and dont need treatment. In adults, the degree of the spinal curve may or may not determine treatment. Treatment is geared towards relieving symptoms, and not necessarily fixing the curve. The goal is always to decrease pain and improve function.
Though scoliosis itself is painless, the normal age-related degeneration of the spine may lead to symptoms. These symptoms are treated the same whether there is scoliosis or not. Scoliosis only becomes a factor when surgery is being considered. Changes in the appearance of the body are also possible depending on the degree of the spinal curve.
In general, most scoliosis in adolescents occurs in the thoracic or rib cage portion of the spine. In adults the main concern is typically in the lumbar or lower spine. This portion of the spine is most susceptible to the changes seen with aging or degeneration.
Stretches And Exercises For Scoliosis
The correct scoliosis exercises depend on the location of a persons scoliosis curve.
People with lumbar scoliosis should focus on exercising their lower back. In contrast, those with thoracic scoliosis should focus more on exercising their thoracic spine and upper back.
Doctors may recommend the following exercises and stretches for people with scoliosis.
To do this exercise, a person should:
This stretch focuses on the latissimus dorsi the largest muscle in the upper body.
Thoracic scoliosis directly affects these muscles. Lumbar scoliosis can also cause tightness in the latissimus dorsi.
To do a latissimus dorsi stretch, a person should:
You May Like: Why Do My Lower Back Muscles Hurt
