As defined in medical terminology, scoliosis is characterized as a complex rotational and lateral deformity and curvature of the human spine. This condition may either be classified as idiopathic, a secondary symptom, or congenital.

Causes for some forms of scoliosis are still undefined or unknown. This condition is more adamant among females. Some people often falsely associated scoliosis to bad posture, slouching, and awkward positioning of the body. This condition is also not caused by carrying heavy objects, and it also has nothing to do with a person’s lack of calcium in diet.

Although, it is mostly the adults who experience extreme back pains due to scoliosis, the symptoms and signs for this condition generally worsen during the adolescent years.

The symptoms for scoliosis vary. Persistent back pain does not necessarily confirm one to have scoliosis. Some of the most common signs of this condition are the following:

1. Prominent shoulder blades
2. Uneven level of shoulders and hips
3. Uneven distance between body and arms
4. Clothes do not fit or hang appropriately

The most popular relief treatments for scoliosis condition are surgery and bracing, and the most common treatment is by means of observation. Surgery is recommended to patients with curves that have high degree of progression. It is also a solution for those who experience pain regularly as well as for those who have curves that significantly affect their physiological functions.

On the other hand, bracing is commonly advised among adolescents to further prevent progression of their spinal curves. Braces, however, do not always give the same result. There are instances when patients still undergo surgery even after they were braced. This scoliosis treatment also has several types, depending on the condition of the patient’s curve.

Aside from surgery, bracing, and observation, yoga or exercise is also known to be a great treatment for scoliosis. Performing yoga exercises helps in correcting and easing the pain brought by scoliosis for it thoroughly stretches the body.

Although some experts claim that yoga and exercise have little effect to correct scoliosis, these actually help in avoiding further progression of the spinal curve. These can also reduce the angle of the spinal curvature. Patients with braces are also recommended to perform yoga or exercise, for these help them adapt more quickly to the brace.

Recommended yoga exercises for patients with scoliosis

1. Crocodile Twist scoliosis exercise

This yoga exercise is regarded as one of the most effective yoga exercise for patients with scoliosis.

2. Passive back arch scoliosis exercise

This exercise is a good way to reduce the pain brought by scoliosis, as well as it is a perfect treatment for related body conditions.

3. One leg up and one leg out scoliosis exercise

This exercise is reported to be very effective as it reduces tensions in the leg muscles. The seated twist version of this exercise is also a recommended exercise to treat thoracic twist condition. Apart from its simplicity, the seated twist exercise helps a lot in correcting the body alignment.

Back Surgeon Dallas || Back Pain Plano

Regular exercise is an important component of any balanced, healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, for many people chronic lower back pain makes exercise-or just about any other type of activity-painful and sometimes impossible.

Lower back pain affects each of us at some point in our lives and is one of the leading causes for physician visits. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), approximately six million Americans each year see their physician because of lower back pain, and nearly 500,000 require hospitalization.

However, as medical professionals learn more about the causes and effects of chronic back pain, their approaches to treatment are changing. For example, fewer doctors prescribe bed rest. Not only can that course of treatment result in stiff or weakened muscles, but physical inactivity can lead to more serious long-term problems, such as weight gain, heart disease and diabetes. Today’s patients have a range of treatment options, with most encouraging at least some type of physical activity.

Experts say that moderate exercise, three to five times per week, will not only improve overall fitness but will also decrease the likelihood of further back injury. Here are a few tips from the North American Spine Society and The Physician and Sportsmedicine Journal to help get you back to a regular exercise regimen:

• Use physician-approved stretches to loosen the lower and upper back and related muscles, including hamstrings and quadriceps.

• Strengthen muscles that support the back and work to improve the back’s flexibility.

• Do exercise with proper form to maximize benefits and minimize strain.

“We always try to perform treatments that help patients maintain and even increase their level of activity. A person in good physical shape is much less likely than an inactive one to injure their back during work or daily activities,” says Nagy Mekhail, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the Department of Pain Management at the Cleveland Clinic. “Healthy living means lower-back-pain sufferers see better results. Those who cannot be active take longer to recover.”

When lower back pain interferes with daily activities and exercise, patients should consult a physician to learn more about their condition and treatment options.

For some patients, nonoperative therapeutic treatments such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and physical therapy may provide relief. For others, lower back pain can be traced to the slow degeneration of the vertebral discs, a condition know as chronic “disc-related or discogenic” lower back pain. With age or injury, cracks and fissures may develop in the wall of the disc. Small nerve endings find their way into the cracks causing chronic pain. Patients with this type of pain may benefit from aggressive procedures such as spinal fusion and disc replacement surgery or minimally invasive approaches, such as the Intradiscal ElectroThermal Therapy™ (IDET™) procedure.

Clinical studies indicate that 60 to 80 percent of IDET procedure patients achieve a 50 percent reduction in lower back pain following the procedure. Studies also show that patients require less medication after the procedure to manage pain, and are more likely to return to work.

Back Surgeon Dallas || Back Pain Plano