According to statistics, a significant number of aging people grow to show degenerative or onset of scoliosis during their adult years. Often, loss of bone mass and density account for the scoliosis condition. As for children, scoliosis is detected early and may continue to progress to a certain curvature. Scoliosis is a spinal condition that forces the backbone to curve at a particular angle to the side. For a lot of people, the condition tags along with excruciating pain. As doctors continue to pursue treatment options for scoliosis, majority of patients turn to reduce pain to contain the spinal condition.
Medication
Over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen may help reduce pain from scoliosis. However, these are short-term remedies. In the case where the pain becomes too excruciating for the regular pain killers to handle, talk to your doctor for stronger pain killers. Your doctor may recommend spinal steroids injections into the nerves and spinal joints. Unlike pain killers, steroid injections have long-lasting effects of about a few weeks or months. Depending on the severity of pain, your doctor should be in an excellent position to recommend the best medication.
Chiropractic care
Chiropractors are trained on how to assess, treat, diagnose, and prevent spinal problems. Through chiropractic care techniques such as spinal manipulation and adjustments, chiropractors manage scoliosis pain effectively. They reduce pain by offsetting the pressure off the spine and re-adjusting muscles and joints to restore mobility. For maximum effect, the chiropractor may suggest more chiropractic sessions while giving healthier guidelines on nutrition and exercises to reduce scoliosis pain.
Exercise
Physical activity that stretches and strengthens the back may help alleviate pain from scoliosis. Physiotherapists recommend yoga, walking, specific scoliosis-targeted stretches, and back exercises. Although they will not treat the spine’s curvature, they are likely to manage the pain. Also, exercises aid you in maintaining a healthy weight. A healthy weight ensures that you do not put too much pressure on the spine and back. It also improves mobility to enhance your quality of life.
Surgery
Surgery is sought as a last resort for alleviating scoliosis pain. Most people do not get to this point, especially if they have taken other alternative treatments before. Your doctor may recommend surgery if your spine’s curvature keeps getting significantly worse. The operation should aim to reduce pain by either creating space for the nerves or by fusing the vertebrae to strengthen the spine. Your doctor will diagnose the severity of scoliosis before deciding on the most suitable technique.
Ice and heat therapy
For years now, ice and heat therapy has worked as an effective pain relief home remedy. Place a cold or ice pack on the affected area to reduce inflammation and release tension. Let it sit for about twenty minutes. If the pain persists, consider alternating the cold pack with a hot pad. Heat provides soothing pain relief for stiffened muscles and encourages blood flow to the affected area. Similarly, let the hot pad seat on the inflamed area for about twenty minutes. Make it a habit of using heat and cold therapy regularly to yield desirable effects.
Use of braces
Corset braces are used on children who have an advancing scoliosis condition. The braces are preferred on children whose bones are still growing give the spinal curvature a chance to continue advancing. The braces aim at restricting motion to alleviate pain enough for the patients to participate in routine activities. Also, the braces are ideal in preventing further progression of scoliosis by strengthening and repositioning the back and its muscles. That way, a child with scoliosis avoids surgery in the future.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture therapy is a traditional pain relief treatment that blends with western medicine to retrieve the best from dry-needling techniques. The therapy involves placing needles on the inflamed area to stimulate nerves, release tension, unblock vital energy flow, and mostly alleviate pain. Its effectiveness makes it an excellent treatment option for scoliosis pain relief. Specialists recommend multiple acupuncture treatment to yield maximum effect from pain relief.
Scoliosis can cause a lot of discomforts if the pain is not adequately managed. Doctors recommend coupling two or more pain relief remedies for more effectiveness. If you or your loved one has been struggling to get rid of scoliosis pain and improve your quality of life, contact us today at 205-637-1363. We are specialists in diagnosing and identifying the perfect treatment for your scoliosis condition.
