Adult Scoliosis: What You Should Know About Your New Diagnosis

Scoliosis -- a condition that causes the spine to become abnormally curved and rotated toward one side of the body -- can occur at any age, for a number of different reasons. Despite that fact, many people believe that it's only treatable in children.

That's incorrect. Adult scoliosis can be successfully treated in a way that can reduce pain, improve posture, and make mobility easier. If you've recently been diagnosed with scoliosis as an adult, here are the answers to some of your most important questions.

Why Is This Happening?

Adult scoliosis is often "idiopathic" in nature, which means that it's caused by unknown factors. Early damage may have occurred in your childhood, but you may have been relatively symptom-free until you began to age. As you get older, so may the pain, numbness, and mobility problems associated with the condition.

Sometimes adult scoliosis is actually the result of degenerative conditions -- primarily the loss of bone density and muscle due to age or other health conditions. Women, in particular, tend to suffer more from this condition as they reach their post-menopausal years. 

What Can Be Done About It?

While problems with adult scoliosis may be a natural progression of the aging process in many ways, that doesn't mean it's inevitable and untreatable. Nor do you have to resort solely to the standard regime of treatments that are prescribed to adults: opioid pain medications, anti-inflammatory drugs, and corticosteroid injections. Those treatments are solely designed to treat the symptoms of pain and weakness associated with scoliosis -- not the underlying condition.

How Do You Start To Treat It?

Symptom relief is important, so that means that it's okay to avail yourself of things like steroid injections and pain medication to help alleviate some of your problems, especially if they're limiting your mobility or life. However, your treatment should also address the underlying cause of the condition through:

• Exercises, including weight-bearing exercises and postural exercises that are designed to reverse scoliosis (even in adults)
• Brain training, which can help adults become more conscious of imbalances in their posture and take reflexive corrective action
• Supplements, including vitamin D, magnesium, iron, and calcium to support bone and muscle health
• Soft braces and posture support, which can provide additional strength to your back and help you function better in your daily life

If you're suffering from scoliosis, there's no reason to resign yourself to the debilitating symptoms. Help is available. Contact a doctor to discuss your options today. To learn more, contact a company like C D Denison today.