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Scoliosis is a condition that causes your spine to curve sideways. The condition is often discovered during the teen years, and it can affect you throughout your adult life. You can also develop scoliosis later in life due to disc degeneration. The severity of the spinal condition is determined by the degree of curvature of your spine.
A slight curve may not give you any symptoms at all, while a more pronounced curve may cause problems with back pain since your body is thrown out of alignment from your shoulders to your hips and legs. Here are some treatments that might help if you suffer from scoliosis.
Manage Pain
Pain management may be the primary treatment for your condition as an adult. Rather than trying to straighten the curve, your doctor may try different pain management techniques to help you deal with the pain.
This could include pain medications, electrical stimulation, and other forms of back pain relief you might take for any other type of back pain, including nerve block injections.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy and pain management might be all you need to live with scoliosis comfortably. Physical therapy helps keep you flexible and maintain your range of motion. Plus, the exercises strengthen your muscles so you can maintain better posture and take stress off of your lower back. Exercises strengthen your core muscles so you can stay active with a lower risk of a back injury.
Spine Surgery
Spine surgery isn't always needed, and it may not be done solely for the sake of your appearance. The curvature of your spine in scoliosis gradually gets worse over time. If the curve becomes pronounced and affects your balance or causes you a lot of pain, your doctor may recommend surgery.
Surgery can stabilize and support your spine. The procedure might relieve a pinched nerve and reduce pain. The surgery often involves fusing bones together with metal plates. This may require open surgery, but in some cases, minimally invasive scoliosis surgery can be done.
Back Brace
Your doctor might recommend wearing a scoliosis brace in addition to undergoing physical therapy. A brace is used differently in adults than it is in kids. Braces can correct and control scoliosis in kids since their bones are still growing. Adults can wear braces too, but these are often just for support.
While a child may wear their brace all day, you might just wear yours for a short period when you're engaged in certain activities. The purpose of wearing the brace is to help with spine support and back pain.
Contact your health care provider for more information about scoliosis.
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