It can be hard to live with scoliosis because it can affect your balance, comfort, and quality of life in general. Although not all people with scoliosis are in unbearable pain, the Clear Scoliosis Institute says that about 23% of those who have been diagnosed are in severe pain.
If you’re looking into different ways to treat your problem, you may be curious about how chiropractic care can help. Scoliosis chiropractors use special methods that may help people feel better and improve the health of their spines.
Mount Prospect Health Center has put together this guide to help you understand how a scoliosis chiropractor in Newark, NJ might be able to help you deal with your condition and its effects.
Just What is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a disease in which the spine curves too far to the side. Traditional solutions for scoliosis usually involve braces or surgery. Chiropractic care, on the other hand, is a non-invasive option. Chiropractors try to fix the underlying problems that cause misaligned spinal cord, which may help relieve pain and improve function.
According to Yale Medicine that between 2% and 4% of people in the United States have scoliosis, which is about 7 million people. This high rate of occurrence makes it even more important to look into effective management methods, such as chiropractic care.
Advantages of Getting Chiropractic Care for Scoliosis
People with scoliosis may benefit from chiropractic care in a number of ways:
• Pain relief: Specific tweaks can help ease the pain that comes with having a curved spine.
• Better mobility: Chiropractic care may improve range of motion by removing restrictions in the joints.
• Postural correction: certain movements and adjustments are meant to make your posture better in general.
If you have scoliosis, can a doctor help? Chiropractors may not be able to fully fix severe curves, but they can help a lot with managing symptoms and maybe even slowing the progression. Their method to treating scoliosis without surgery is to make the spine healthier and better able to do its job.
How chiropractic techniques can help with scoliosis
Chiropractors treat scoliosis in a number of ways, including:
Adjustments to the Spine
A big part of chiropractic care for scoliosis is making changes to the spine. The goal of these gentle adjustments is to straighten out the spine and lower nerve pressure. To apply controlled force to certain joints, chiropractors use their hands or special tools. This can help get joints working right again, ease pain, and maybe even slow the development of spinal curvature.
When it comes to people with scoliosis, these changes are often more complex than regular chiropractic care. They focus on the unique physics of the curved spine, going after areas of rotation and misalignment that are unique to each person’s scoliosis pattern.
Recovery of Muscles
Rehabilitating muscles is an important part of treating scoliosis. Chiropractic doctors recommend specific movements to build up the muscles that support the spine. This method helps make the muscles more balanced, which can help keep the spine in a better position.
Some exercises could be:
• Activities that strengthen the core to help support the lower back
• Stretches to loosen up muscles and make them more flexible
• Moves that are meant to work with the patient’s spine’s unique curve pattern
The type and severity of scoliosis, as well as the patient’s general fitness level and abilities, are taken into account when these exercises are planned.
Workouts for Posture
For people with scoliosis, learning how to keep good balance while doing daily tasks is very important. Chiropractic care helps people sit, stand, and move in ways that put less stress on the spine and support better balance.
Patients can feel less pain, stop their curves from getting worse, and improve their general quality of life by improving their posture.
Advice on Nutrition
Bone and muscle health depend on good diet, especially for people with scoliosis. Chiropractors often give advice on what to eat to help keep your spine healthy and maybe even help you manage scoliosis.
Some important food factors may be:
• Making sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones strong
• Suggesting foods that lower inflammation to ease pain and soreness
• Giving advice on supplements that might help keep bones and muscles healthy
• Talking about how to lose weight to ease stress on the back
A healthy, well-balanced diet can help with other scoliosis solutions and make you feel better all around.
Specialized Tools for Adjusting Spinal Curvature
One new way that chiropractors treat scoliosis is by using special tools to fix the curvature of the spine. With these high-tech tools, the position of the spine can be changed in an exact and controlled way.
Here are some examples of this kind of gear:
• Flexion-distraction tables that stretch and loosen the spine gently
• Computer-assisted devices for adjusting that apply exact, targeted force
• 3D imaging tools that give clear pictures of how the spine is aligned so that treatment plans are more accurate
With these tools, chiropractors can treat scoliosis in a more personalized way, which may be more efficient.
A 2017 study in the journal Scoliosis and Spinal Disorders found that the Cobb angle, which is a key way to measure how curved the spine is, got better in 28% of teens and young adults with idiopathic scoliosis who got chiropractic care.
It’s important to remember that chiropractic care can be helpful, but it should only be used as one part of a full treatment plan. To make sure you get the best care, your chiropractor may work with other medical professionals.
If You Have Scoliosis and Need Chiropractic Care, Call Mount Prospect Health Center
At Mount Prospect Health Center, we know how hard it can be to deal with scoliosis and how chiropractic care might help. Our team of highly skilled healthcare professionals is committed to making treatment plans that are unique to your needs.
We use cutting-edge chiropractic techniques and a whole-person approach that considers things like how desk jobs can affect spine health. If you’re having pain because of your scoliosis, we want you to find out how our chiropractic services can help.
Call Mount Prospect Health Center at (973) 485-2332 to learn more about our Newark, NJ scoliosis treatments and spine alignment therapy. Our doctors accept most insurance plans, such as workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection). Appointments may be possible the same day.
Q&A
If I have scoliosis, how often should I see a chiropractor?
How often you go to the chiropractor for scoliosis depends on your wants and treatment plan. At first, you might need to go more often—maybe twice or three times a week—but as your situation gets better, you might need to go less often.
Can chiropractic care help with scoliosis?
Chiropractors who treat scoliosis can’t cure it, but they can help people deal with their symptoms and maybe even slow its development. The goal is to make things work better, lessen pain, and make life better in general.
What age should you start getting help for scoliosis?
You can start getting help for scoliosis at any age, but it works best if you start early. Screening usually starts in pre-adolescence, between the ages of 10 and 12, when fast growth can make the problem worse.
