When a patient has degenerating vertebrae along their spine, this is what is known as adult degenerative scoliosis. This form of scoliosis can develop in a short amount of time. A patient may be fine at one appointment, and within a year, they have developed ADS.
This problem can be hard to deal with and affect your everyday life. There are several different treatment options that can help to alleviate the symptoms of adult degenerative scoliosis. This includes chiropractic care. It is important to start chiropractic care as soon as you find out you have ADS.
Symptoms of ADS
There are several symptoms that will let you know that you may have adult degenerative scoliosis. These include:
• Shortness or slumping. If you start to slump or you seem shorter than you were before, this may indicate that you have ADS.
• Pain on one side of the body. If you frequently have foot, leg, knee, or hip pain on one side of the body, this is a sign of ADS.
• Headaches and neck pain. In some cases, nagging neck pain and headaches are a sign of ADS. This is due to the spine being under pressure.
• Limited movement. If you find yourself unable to perform your daily tasks, this could be because of the ADS. This is due to the spinal curvature making you not be able to move well.
Treatment Options
There are several treatment plans that can help you to experience relief from your symptoms. Adult degenerative scoliosis will not go away on its own. Finding a treatment that helps is imperative so that you experience relief from your symptoms. Treatment options include:
• Chiropractic adjustments. When you are diagnosed with adult degenerative scoliosis, you will want to call your chiropractor and make an appointment. Adjustments can greatly help to alleviate tight muscles, relieve tension, and remove pockets of air. You should see improvement after a few treatments with your chiropractor.
• Back braces. Your chiropractor may also recommend that you wear a back brace. This is especially true if you cannot go to the chiropractor several times a week for adjustments. Getting a high quality back brace will help to alleviate your pain and help to ensure that your back does not get any worse. You will need to make sure that you get a high quality back brace. There are many back braces on the market today that are not high quality and will not help your back. Your chiropractor can recommend several different brands that will help you with your back issues.
• Stretches and exercises. Doing certain exercises can help to relax your muscles and help loosen your spine. When you have ADS, it can cause the spine to become inflamed and not responsive to treatment. By doing stretches and exercise will help to get improvement to the area faster. If you have severe adult degenerative scoliosis, it may take a while for you to see benefits even with exercising and stretching. Just make sure that you follow all of your chiropractor’s exercise and stretching instructions to ensure that you have relief from your symptoms.
• Diet. If you are overweight, it may impact your scoliosis. When you have extra weight, this can put pressure on the spine and nerves. You may deal with more inflammation and pain. Your chiropractor can work with you to ensure that you are eating a proper diet to lose weight. Your chiropractor can also help to recommend foods and supplements that will help to reduce inflammation in your body.
• Reducing stress. Stress can have a negative impact on your body. When you are in pain, you will be stressed, and when you are stressed, your body will be tense, which will cause you more pain. Your chiropractor can help you to learn how to reduce stress so that you are less tense. Being less tense will allow your muscles not to be so tight and not increase your pain.
If you have been diagnosed with adult degenerative scoliosis, or you think you may have it, please contact the Integrative Chiropractic Center today. They can help you with the treatment of ADS and ensure that your pain is minimized. They will work hard to ensure that your condition improves and that you do not have any further issues with your spine. Call us today at 205-637-1363.
