Scoliosis Health

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And again just to clarify and possibly creep you out……

Women who have scoliosis tend to feel like maybe the scoliosis will hinder them from having kids, or it might be risky for them or the baby, also that it might make there scoliosis worse. It’s all not true, the only thing that can happen is the possibility of your kid having scoliosis because some are hereditary.

Scoliosis does not cause any significant risk to the fetus, or initiate any birth defects or physical limitations to the baby, the baby will experience a normal birth and growth. Scoliosis usually does not worsen due to pregnancy, with the exception of severe cases, the curvature of the spine remains the same. A pregnant woman with scoliosis will usually experience greater back pain due to the additional weight of her body. Breathing troubles often manifest during pregnancy, women will frequently experience breathlessness or difficulty breathing. This is caused by the expanding uterus, which pushes the diaphragm back and hinders normal airflow. Muscle weakness may also occur during pregnancy. The weakening of the muscles makes it more difficult to push during birth, and as a result, doctors often resort to performing a cesarean. Exercise and physical therapy are important during pregnancy to keep muscles as strong as possible, and they are also helpful for managing pain.

Women with scoliosis just don’t want to pass scoliosis down to their kids because of the physical and emotional side effects. I was the same way, I wondered if I would have complications, and even worse I prayed that my kids would not get scoliosis. I don’t want to see them feeling down about themselves, and hating their body, and even worse I don’t want to watch them cry because of how bad the pain is. I still think about it every now and then and say God please don’t let them have it because I have scoliosis, my little brother have scoliosis, and I have a cousin that has scoliosis as well. So in my family I’m assuming its hereditary.

But when I was pregnant with my daughter who is now 4, my back pain stopped, I felt like i couldn’t breath properly but the pregnancy was normal. When I was pregnant with my son who is now 18 months I had a little bit of pain and I still felt like I couldn’t breath. Delivering babies is no joke that pain is EXCRUCIATING but my labor was smooth and I had no complications due to scoliosis. The only issue I had was when it was time to get the epidural the anesthesiologist had trouble getting the medication where it needed to go. My curve is in my lumbar that’s why that was a problem. Pregnancy wont be the same for everyone, but it will be rewarding when that beautiful creation is out. The most important thing a woman with scoliosis can do during her pregnancy is to visit her doctor regularly and properly monitor the pregnancy to avoid complications.

There are several other changes you can make to decrease your risk for back pain:

Lose weight. Since excess weight can pull the spine out of alignment and cause a back injury, it’s important to keep your weight down. Do some aerobic exercises such as bicycling, walking or running to help you lose the excess pounds. It’s also important to maintain a healthy diet that’s high in fruits, grains and vegetables. In addition to causing weight gain, a poor diet can also make your back weaker and more susceptible to injury.

Lower stress. Stress can create muscle tension, causing a loss in flexibility that can lead to back pain. To reduce stress, try exercise, yoga, meditation, getting more sleep or listening to music.

Stop Smoking. Smoking puts you at increased risk for back problems since your blood has trouble delivering oxygen to working tissues, delaying tissue healing, making your back weaker.

Improper lifting of heavy objects causes many back injuries. People may not lift properly for a long time and realize it only when the back is damaged enough to cause pain. If you must lift a heavy object, take some time to prepare. First, make sure that you can carry the load—just lift up a corner and test it. Then determine where you are going to move the object and choose the shortest route possible.

A few important tips when lifting or moving a load:

1. When bending down, always bend at the knees—never at the waist.
2. Keep the object close to your body.
3. Don’t twist your body.
4. Avoid lifting over your head or over an obstruction.
5. When lifting a heavy object below chest level, always tighten your abdomen muscles to place less of the load on your spine.
6. When moving a heavy object, push it instead of pulling it.
7. Whenever possible, use a cart to carry your luggage.
8. If the load is too heavy, ask for help.

Having the correct posture while sitting, standing and sleeping is an important part of keeping your back pain free. Many people spend their entire workdays sitting or standing, and too much of either can lead to back pain. However, there are several ways you can guard against this.

While sitting, make sure your lower back is getting enough support. If possible, you should have an ergonomically designed chair for your office. Otherwise, try placing a pillow or rolled up towel behind your lower back to keep you upright and prevent slouching. If you sit for long periods of time, get up to walk around about every hour, arching your back gently and trying a few simple stretches. Even if you’re driving, stop as often as possible to stretch. Don’t carry bulky items, such as wallets, in your back pockets while you’re sitting as this can place extra stress on the back. If you stand all day, have a small stool handy to prop up one foot at a time. If possible, lean against a wall or counter.

For your resting hours, buy a mattress with good back support that’s also comfortable for you. Lying on your back with a small pillow under your knees is the ideal sleeping position. If that is uncomfortable, try sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees. Sleeping on your stomach places too much stress on your back, but if you must, be sure to place a small pillow underneath your abdomen.

During the early stages of scoliosis, the best treatment option is chiropractic. It does not require any surgical procedures and is thus very viable for mild to moderate cases of scoliosis. Chiropractic treatments will ensure that the current condition of the spine will eventually improve and prevent it from getting worst.

Chiropractic is an alternative treatment to scoliosis that makes use of traditional and non-surgical strategies. It typically involves exercise, physical therapy, pressure applied to the spine, and massage. By taking this route, it may take a longer period of time for the spine to improve, but it is safer and carries less risk than highly-invasive scoliosis back surgery. One example of chiropractic is doing physical exercises that involve the back. Exercise helps restore normal levels of bending and spinal movement, as well as proper alignment and posture. It also enhances the strength of the muscles, so the person can better withstand fatigue when performing certain activities.

Another example of chiropractic is spinal manipulation, which involves gentle pressure on the spine to help correct its curvature. Massage is another similar form of chiropractic and it helps muscles to become firmer. A chiropractor will use different massage techniques to both correct spinal curvature and also improve other parts of the body that support the back.

Chiropractic is a great alternative for patients who are hesitant to pursue riskier treatment options. Many patients see great improvement in their scoliosis condition as a result of chiropractic treatment, and they appreciate being able to actively improve their spinal curvature without creating other physical complications.

The Schroth method is a noninvasive, physiotherapeutic treatment, which has been used successfully in Europe since the 1920s. Originally developed in Germany by scoliosis sufferer Katharina Schroth, this method is now taught to scoliosis patients in clinics specifically devoted to Schroth therapy in Germany, Spain, England, and North America. The method is based upon the concept of scoliosis as resulting from a complex of muscular asymmetries (especially strength imbalances in the back) that can be at least partially corrected by targeted exercises. The Schroth method has proven effective at reversing abnormal scoliotic curvatures by an average of 10% in 4 to 6 weeks in-patient programs, and by 30% or more in an out-patient program over a period of a year. One study of nearly 200 adolescent Schroth patients found no curve progression three years following the in-patient program. Several studies have documented the Schroth method’s efficacy in substantially reducing or eliminating pain, which tends to be a problem, in particular, for adults.

Small curvatures between 15 and 20 degrees during growth may be treated with the physio-logic-program, curvatures between 20 and 30 degrees during growth spurt with “3D-made-easy”. This program has been tested in the environment of in-patient treatment as well. In curvatures exceeding 30 degrees, a combination of the methods described together with the Schroth program may be helpful, and a specialized centre with trained and certified staff should be taken into account. Out-patient rehabilitation treatments today may reach the same outcome as in-patient programs. Out-patient programs may be successful when pattern-specific programs are provided. A certain intensity is necessary to allow the very best compliance with conservative treatment, and to acquire strategies for coping with scoliosis and with the conservative treatment.

The indications for treatment depend on degree of curvature, maturity of the patient, and the individual curve pattern. While evidence supporting such conservative, non-invasive treatments is weak, today conservative management of scoliosis can be regarded as being evidence-based; no substantial evidence has been found to support surgical intervention.

The longest nerve in the body and the main nerve traveling down the leg is the sciatic nerve. When pressure is placed on the sciatic nerve from a ruptured disc, pinched nerve, or slipped disk, the condition is referred to as Sciatica. Sciatica causes a pain along the large sciatic nerve, running from the lower back down the back of each leg. Often diagnosed as a radiculopathy, which means that a disc has protruded from its normal position in the vertebral column and is putting pressure on the radicular nerve (nerve root) connecting with the sciatic nerve it is a fairly common cause of lower back and leg pain.

Generally, sciatica only affects one side of the lower body radiating from the lower back down through the thigh and lower leg, but can in some cases also affect the foot or toes. Since this type of nerve pain is generally caused by a combination of pressure and inflammation on the nerve root, treatment is centered on relieving both.