Scoliosis - What Is It and What Are Your Options?

Most people will have heard the term 'Scoliosis' and some will probably know that Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine. But what does that actually mean and how does it affect people's daily lives?

Scoliosis is a lateral (meaning sideways) curve in the spine. So, instead of the spine forming a perfectly straight vertical column, there is a deviation to either side, often forming a 'C' shape or an 'S' shape (a double curvature). The degree of this curvature can vary considerably, with mild cases being barely visible and severe cases causing significant deformation. Although a double curvature sounds more severe, it can appear less obvious as one curve is counteracted by the other.

In the vast majority of scoliosis there are no other medical conditions and no distinct cause of the condition. This is known as idiopathic scoliosis and can occur in early life or may not develop until later on. 3-4 in every 1000 children in the UK are diagnosed with scoliosis. However, of these, only 10% require treatment, as in most cases the curvature corrects itself as the child grows. Other forms of scoliosis include:

Syndromic scoliosis - where the curvature occurs as part of a recognised condition (e.g. Marfan's syndrome, Rett's syndrome or Beale's syndome).
Degenerative scoliosis - occurs in adults due to degeneration (wearing down) of the spinal vertebrae (bones) and discs.
Neuromuscular scoliosis - occurs as a result of a neurological condition, such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.
Congenital scoliosis - develops during pregnancy as a defect in the formation of the spine.
Scoliosis can occur in the lower (lumbar spine) or upper back (throacic spine). Lumbar scoliosis may affect the appearance of the pelvis, often causing one hip to appear higher than the other. Thoracic scoliosis can affect the appearance of the ribcage (pulling it to one side), can cause a lump on the back, one shoulder blade to protrude out and one shoulder to sit higher than the other.

Whilst in many mild cases, scoliosis may cause mild, or even no symptoms at all, in other cases symptoms can be severe and extremely varied. If left untreated, a substantial curve could cause problems with the pelvis, heart and lungs.

Treatment of scoliosis again will vary depending on the severity of the condition. Bracing and surgery are the only options which may help to actually correct the curvature. Other treatment options which can help to ease symptoms, include physiotherapy, osteopathy, massage, pilates, alexander technique, hydrotherapy, hot and cold therapy.

What Is Scoliosis? Should I Be Worried?

As I speak to more and more patients, I've come to a realization that there is quite a bit of confusion about what scoliosis is, and how it can affect your child's health. Many people remember going into the school nurse's office every so often and get a scoliosis test where they bend down from their waste and touch their toes.

But what is scoliosis? Scoliosis involves a curved deformity in the spine. When you look at someone from front to back, the bones that make up the spine (vertebrae) should stack up nice and straight. When there is a scoliosis present, the vertebrae will deviate to the side and form a curved C or S shape. Now very few people are perfectly straight, but when the curve exceeds 10 degrees, it is usually deemed a scoliosis.

Many people can have a scoliosis and never feel any effects or symptoms from it. Others may experience more common symptoms like back pain, neck/shoulder tension, and posture/cosmetic problems. In rare cases, the curvature can become large enough (50 degrees or more), that it can compress the chest cavity causing respiratory and cardiac problems, and become a surgical issue.

Scoliosis comes in 2 main forms. There are is a functional scoliosis which is typically named idiopathic scoliosis, and there is a scoliosis called structural/anatomical scoliosis.

• A structural/anatomical scoliosis is called by a malformed vertebra which can force the spine to a curved position as it seeks to get back to center. This type of scoliosis cannot be fully corrected and it can also lead to larger curvatures depending on how malformed the vertebra is.

• A functional/idiopathic scoliosis is named as such because there is typically no medically known cause. This is the most common type of scoliosis. These types of curvatures can be corrected and reduced significantly through conservative means when caught before a person is fully developed.

The real question is, should you be worried?

The truth is, if you're just worried about pain, then probably not. Many times, scoliosis is asymptomatic, especially in children. In fact, most people will probably go through their childhood with no knowledge that it is even there. For the category of idiopathic scoliosis, it is often the secondary result of a structural shift in one or more bones in the spine or pelvis..

Most doctors are concerned when the curvature surpasses 20 degrees and begin watching the curve for progression. As the curve approaches 30 degrees, bracing becomes a common recommendation, and cosmetic concerns become more obvious, especially for teenage girls where image is everything. When the curve grows 40 degrees, surgery starts to become a real option for treatment to prevent compression of the heart and lungs.

The key is catching these curves early. Scoliosis is most commonly found in girls during adolescence, which is a great window of opportunity for structural correction, no matter how small the curve may be. Just like how a bent frame of a car can create suspension problems and tire wear/tear, a bent spine can increase the damage the spine experiences throughout life. I've seen x-rays of people well into their 40's and 50's who have never experienced spine pain, but will show a scoliotic spine with disc degeneration and bone spurs in the exact pattern that the structural alignment would dictate.

As the spine shows early wear and tear, the nerves can get damaged, and symptoms of damage into the muscles, ligaments, and even the vital organs of the body can start to show.

As a worried parent, what can you do? Here are a few tips:

1. Get a spinal check up by someone who is focused on the health of the spine! Nurses and general practitioners do a great job of identifying major curvatures using basic screening tools, but these will typically identify cases of scoliosis that are excessively large and may be candidates for surgery. A chiropractor focused on structural correction instead of pain relief can recognize smaller deviations and provide tools to correct them if necessary.

2. Avoid the one shoulder back pack routine. It may look cooler and be more comfortable, but extra forces on a spine that isn't optimally positioned can increase scoliotic curves.

3. Stay active. Movement is life and a spine that moves early and often has more pliability and flexibility than one that is sedentary and stiff.

4. Keep the weight down. If you had a crooked house and you add more weight to it, what happens to the house? It breaks down faster. The same thing happens to the body. If you build more mass on top of a crooked structure, it will lead to earlier degeneration. Stay fit.

If the scoliosis is large but not correctable, the best thing a parent can do is provide love and emotional support. Though it's not typically cause pain or serious illness, it can be a label that wears on the psyche of a teenager or young adult because other young people and gym class bullies may poke fun of their condition. Adolescence is a psychologically trying period for any young person, and another label is the last thing they need, especially if major surgery may be one of the options on the table. Providing your child with a strong base of confidence and self-esteem, along with proper management of scoliosis can help ensure a happy and healthy school year.

What Is Scoliosis and How Can Scoliosis Exercises Help Sufferers?

Scoliosis is a physical ailment that is defined by an unusual sideways shaping of your spinal column - often times appearing as an "S" or "C" profile. This ordinarily develops prior to when children experience puberty, and the visible indicators can easily vary from one person to another. Despite the fact that the origin of this particular spinal condition is frequently mysterious, possessing uneven shoulders or hips can be particularly revealing indications, along with developing a waist that is not level.

Practitioners closely monitor scoliosis cases to note how the problem is changing as well as to learn which available healing methods may perform most beneficially. A mild instance can potentially require no treatment procedure at all, but if scoliosis gradually deteriorates, it can easily lead the spine to turn as well as twist. This further distortion of the spine will possibly trigger problems with breathing in addition to back pain.

Although both men and women possibly can deal with scoliosis, it is a great deal more commonplace in females than males. There also is no clear-cut origin in the vast majority of scoliosis situations.

On the plus side, there are a number of medical care approaches including braces or scoliosis exercises that might help to strengthen and also stretch the spine. These physical activities may essentially lessen joint compression induced by scoliosis, which actually minimizes aches in numerous situations. The following are a handful of generally advocated exercises for scoliosis.

Scoliosis Workout routines

Scoliosis exercises tend to work out your spine and help make your back and shoulder muscular tissues more powerful and more flexible. There are many types of ab exercise routines that in fact may build your back muscular tissues, and your doctor can make sure that your exercise session is not dangerous and works best for you. There are lower-body and arm extension movements that can be useful, in addition to repetitions developed to alleviate aches in your back. Overall safety is crucial, since you will complete these exercise routines across a stability ball. As you extend, retain, and release specific movements in sets, your flexibility can rise substantially with time.

Additional routines for your back involve utilizing hand weights to strengthen your top back muscle groups. Designated arm movements are done in three sets of 10 on both sides of the body, with main focus on moving the elbow joint and triceps muscles.

Lighter weights may be utilized to complete larger movements, however the goal is still about developing strength, getting more flexible, and reducing ache. If performing the advocated total number of reps is far too much for you at first, you could potentially complete the motions with no weights at all.

Additional beneficial scoliosis exercises routines are done while you are standing, and necessitate using light weights as you bring up your arms to make them parallel to the floor. Rowing movements can potentially also be completed while holding on to weights, and invariably you need to have your back as erect as possible during the repetitions. Other rowing motions include working only one side at a time as you lean on a stability ball. The end goal here is to squeeze and in due course fortify the muscle tissue between your shoulder blades. Pausing where appropriate and focusing on appropriate breathing techniques will guide you to make the most out of your workout routines and manage your scoliosis correctly.

All You Need to Know About Scoliosis and the Ways to Cure It

Scoliosis is referred to as the curving of the spine in an unexpected way. The spine or the backbone in our body is straight, but if you look at a person suffering from scoliosis, you will notice that the shape of the spine is something as that of a "C" or an "S". Our backbone or the spine is what controls the movements of our body. Various nerves are generating from this body part and thus makes up to be an important component of the body.

What causes Scoliosis?

It is something that is that gradually progresses once a body starts growing. It starts from adolescence and continues till the body reaches the ultimate growth limit after a certain age. It is something that is common amongst women more than men due to weaker bone density. Unless the ailment is diagnosed early, there are chances that it may affect vital organs of the body such as lungs and the heart and also limit you from performing daily activities and make you less active.

How to diagnose Scoliosis?

While you look at a person having an improper posture such as high shoulder or a hip only on a single side, you would understand that the individual is suffering from this disease. Improper wearing off of the shoes or ill-fitting clothes can also be the symptoms of the ailment. The ailment can be something that is hereditary where it runs in the family where almost all members suffer from the illness. Improper postures while at work or while asleep can also cause such problems in the spine.

Ways to treat the ailment

As it is the issue with the improper positioning of the backbone, it is necessary to take adequate care to handle it. Surgery is an option but at times, it may not suit the person who is operated. A standard procedure for its treatment is the natural Chiropractic cure that involves the manipulation of the spine after detecting the exact areas of problem. The exact areas can be identified from x-rays that allow the Chiropractor to get a clear picture of the spine and its abnormalities. Chiropractic adjustments take time and cannot be simply cured in a day or two. It involves the exertion of pressure on the right areas, making the patient follow exercise regimes as well as consume the good food that can aid in the proper functioning of the body. While the posture of the spine is corrected, the muscle and the ligaments tend to get strengthened and thus to make the body healthy and immune to further similar ailments.

Can a Chiropractor Help Your Neck Pain?

Your neck consists of seven very small vertebrae and supports the entire weight of your head. The average weight of the human head is 10 to 12 pounds, which isn't very light when you consider the neck is constantly supporting it!

Add in how much neck strain is incurred when you sit for long periods in front of the computer and you steadily increase the amount of work and strain you are expecting of your neck.

The neck also allows your head in nearly all directions which adds even more stress to your neck. With all of this responsibility, the neck is subject a great deal of stress, which often results in chronic pain and stiffness.

Once neck pain has been persistent for any period of time, you may begin to develop neurological symptoms. These may include numbness, tingling, or a "pins and needles" feeling. Usually these complaints are in the neck at all, but can be felt in the fingertips or up and down the arm.

If you begin to experience any of the neurological symptoms, this is usually an indicator that the neck problem is becoming worse. The early phase of pain is just stiffness, then it moves to real pain that can be sharp in nature. The pain will continue to get worse until the radiating symptoms begin.

Many people have neck pain and it is often extremely bothersome. Medical doctors cannot do a whole lot to permanently relieve neck pain. They can prescribe medications to mask your neck pain and they can do x-rays and other tests to see where the pain is coming from.

When they do find something wrong with the neck they will probably want to schedule surgery, which can prove to be a painful procedure with a long recovery. Surgery, while sometimes necessary, really should be considered a treatment of last resort. You can always do the surgery, but if you do the surgery first, you eliminate many other effective and conservative options.

If you have neck pain it may be wise to consult with a chiropractor before going to the extent of something much more serious such as surgery. Some of the first things that a chiropractor will do on your first visit will be to ask you questions about your neck pain.

Some questions they may ask are:

- When did your neck pain start

- What have you done to try to ease your neck pain

- Are there any other parts of your body that your chronic neck pain stems to or from?

These are a few questions that your Chiropractor will most likely ask. After the initial consultation they will then perform a physical examination. The examination will consist of chiropractic tests, orthopedic tests, and a neurological examination. This entire process will allow the chiropractor to get to the root of your problem and allow him or her to come up with a solution to your pain.

A common practice of chiropractors is to perform a neck adjustment. A neck adjustment is a form of spinal manipulation, and is very specific in nature. This is a very precise technique and is usually very effective in alleviating neck pain.

How Long Are You Going To Let Neck Pain Ruin Your Life?

When you have injured your neck, the only thought you most likely will have is: When will I receive neck pain relief? Spinal pain can be an excruciating experience. With different causes and varying degrees of pain, it can be a delicate position in which you find yourself. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to alleviate the pain and possibly eradicate the problem. Take a look at the following things you should know about your situation:

Causes and Types of Neck Pain

As you are most likely aware, there are multiple types of pains associated with the neck. To achieve neck pain relief, you must first find the source of the pain. First, and always foremost, contact a medical professional, such as your doctor, for a formal diagnosis.

Discs

The spine is comprised of vertebrae, or small bones, and in between each vertebra is a disc. A disc is a sponge like material that provides support and flexibility to the spine. It can be extremely painful when a disc "slips" or moves. Problems with discs can cause numerous different types of pain, and until the discs are set back into place, the sufferer will not experience neck pain relief.

Nerves

Just as there are thousands of nerves throughout the body, the spine and neck contain hundreds of sensitive nerves. When these nerves become lodged between discs, they often create a painful sensation. These are sometimes known as pinched nerves.

Sleep Position and Poor Posture

Injury to the neck can occur from a number of different sources. One of the most common origin of the pain comes from sleeping in a poor position. While this may seem like a simple fix, improper sleep positions can cause difficulties. It is not always easy to fix a bad sleep position. Likewise, poor posture can cause undue pressure to the neck, causing hurt to the person.

Injury

Another common source of pain is injury. Whether you have been in a car wreck, experienced a sports-related injury, or have had a recent fall, the neck is vulnerable to both direct and indirect impact. Always check with a doctor if you have experienced some fall or hit to your body and have neck pain afterward.

Solutions

Thankfully, neck pain relief is attainable if you seek the proper treatment. Because a popular source for the problem lies in the alignment of the spine, including the position and placement of the discs and nerves, osteopathic manipulation is a great option for a lot of patients.

Osteopathic therapy involves the manipulation of the musculoskeletal system, which includes the muscles, bones and nerves of the body. Doctors of Osteopathy, or D.O., have had great success in treating injuries to the spine. Osteopathic physicians are certified medical doctors who are licensed to prescribe medications and practice medicine, as well as surgery, like other physicians. Yet, these doctors take a more holistic approach, viewing an injury in its totality.

Other options include physical therapy and as a last resort, surgery. If there is ever any doubt, consult a trusted physician for a diagnosis and treatment plan.