Scoliosis
Back pain is a very common complaint. Most patients that visit their doctor for pain related injuries, are making the trip due to back pain. Some people will experience back pain infrequently, but if you begin to notice a pattern of chronic low back pain, you may be dealing with Scoliosis. Scoliosis is a hereditary condition. You might be able to tell by looking at your spouses or childs posture. Are their shoulders really uneven, or is one hip higher than the other?
No one but a qualified doctor can diagnose your pain, but if you are experiencing a constant dull ache in your lower back that lasts for several days, you may have Scoliosis. Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine, it will typically cause the spine to take on an “s” shape, putting stress on the thoracic and lumbar region causing mild to moderate pain and discomfort. Typically, Scoliosis can develope in the adolescent years or you might be born with it. It may go undiagnosed until the child or person begins feeling pain. If diagnosesd in these younger years the curvature can actually be decreased with chiropractic care and a certain protocal.The pain can be triggered by long period of standing or sitting, bending in an unsupported position, or by certain physical activities such as sports, raking, vacuuming, bending and lifting, or any movement that causes a back and forth or side to side motion.
A chiropractor is an experienced doctor that will diagnose your back pain with an exam and by taking a series of x-rays if clinically necessary. These x-rays will show your the doctor of chiropractic the severity of your curvature, and will help determine what steps should be taken to reduce your pain. Low back Scoliosis pain is unavoidable, and can be something you will have to learn to live with without care. But remember if the scoliosis is diagnosed early in life the curve can be reduced with chiropractic care. During the times you have excess pain, you can get relief with bed rest, ice therapy, and anti-inflammatory medication. Your medical doctor may prescribe muscle relaxants or pain pills, depending on your medical history. These meds however covers up the pain, chiropractors go after the cause of the problem. There are certain protocols depending on age and severity of the curve.
Although certain activities may cause pain, it is important that anyone with Scoliosis remain active as an inactive lifestyle will only worsen the symptoms of low back Scoliosis pain. Scoliosis pain can be managed, but your lifestyle and health should be managed by a chiropractic physician. It is likely that the chiropractor will need to take yearly x-rays of your spine to ensure that the curvature is not increasing by any degree. An MRI scan may even be recommended.