Scoliosis Braces - Treatment and Surgery - How To Get A Quality Support To Help Treat This Condition

Does your son or daughter have scoliosis?

Do you have scoliosis and want to do something about it?

1.) Introduction

Scoliosis is a condition that involves a lateral curvature of the spine. In addition to this curvature, there is usually a rotational component that needs to be addressed as well. This condition can worsen if it is not addressed and there are some proven treatment options that can really make a difference for patients.

2.) Surgery

The truth is, not many of us are jumping at the chance to have surgery. This is true most of the time, but when scoliosis starts to threaten other bodily organs, there is sometimes not a choice in the matter. Sometimes the choice is surgery, or die. This is true in many cases, but there are alternatives to surgery that do matter and we will discuss them in this free article.

3.) Special Back Braces For Scoliosis

People do have choices when it comes to scoliosis treatment. One of the best things a patient can consider is the use of a special back brace called a TLSO. This is an acronym for a brace that supports the thoracic, lumbar and sacral spine. These braces do not cure scoliosis, but they do help address the curve that is present. There are many different kinds of TLSOs for scoliosis, such as the Boston brace, Rosenberger and Lyon type orthoses. Each aims to help limit the progression of the curvature.

4.) Does Insurance Cover The Brace

Many times an insurance policy can cover the costs of a scoliosis TLSO. It all comes down to the terms that are set by your individual health insurance policy. Many times, if a brace is not covered by your insurance, then the majority of the brace can be covered. - When you go in to be evaluated for your scoliosis TLSO it is best to talk about this upfront with your local orthotics and prosthetics company. They are used to answering these questions and with a little of your help (regarding your insurance information), they can get a quote of benefits for you before the brace is ever provided.

Note: This is health information. Getting medical advice about bracing should come from your local, licensed orthotist. These individuals have the medical training to evaluate you for one of these braces. Therefore, any medical advice in conjunction with these braces should be provided by your local, licensed orthotist.

If the Symptom Can't Come From the Diagnostic Finding, Don't Get the Surgery

I feel I must comment to people about the fact that surgeries are being recommended for structures showing up as positive findings on tests like x-rays or MRIs but can not possibly create the pain that the peson is experiencing. This is a very scary trend. Since the lay person has no capacity to know if the diagnostic test positive finding such has a herniated disc, arthritis, stenosis, meniscal or rotator cuff tear is capable of creating the pain they are experiencing where they are experiencing it, they have only faith to cling to to hope that an unnecessary surgery is not being performed. Two examples of this horror can be seen here.

A gentleman I just met told me that he had a total hip replacement on the left side due to pain he was experiencing. He told me an x-ray indicated he was bone as bone as defined by his physician. 5 months since that surgery he is now getting pain at the right side and is told he now needs a total hip replacement at the right hip. I asked him where the pain is on the right side and he pointed to his gluteal region or buttock. Folks, it is critical that you recognize that that is not your hip joint. The hip joint is where the femur or thigh bone enters the pelvis. To find this point, put your hands on the top of your waist. This is the top of your pelvis. Now lower your hands down your side from the waist. You will feel a depression until you reach a round bone sticking out. That is the hip joint. For most people, they would never guess that is where their hip joint is located.

If the physician told you that you were bone on bone in your hip, this is the location where you should have pain. I asked this guy if the place where he had pain at the right side was the same as the left side and he said yes. So he ends up getting a total hip replacement due to pain at the gluteal region which could never come from bone on bone at the hip joint. Now either the physician is completely inept in differentiating the cause of symptoms or he maliciously performed a joint replacement he fully knew was unnecessary. And is now convincing this defenseless fellow to get another unnecessary hip replacement on the right side for a symptom that could never come from being bone on bone at the hip joint.

I explained this point to this guy and he was shocked to hear that his symptoms could never come from the hip and therefore most likely had an unnecessary surgery and was being recommended another unnecessary surgery. He is expected to come for therapy at my office where I will identify the true cause of this gluteal region pain and resolve it. I am saddened that he got unnecessary hip replacement but at least I can stop him from getting another one.

In another case, I woman had a fracture ankle and months later ended up with pain at the bottom of her foot. The physician tried to convince her that the pain under her foot was due to a torn ligament at the ankle that had not healed and that an orthotic should be tried and if this failed, possible ankle fusion would be necessary.

Luckily for this woman, here boss was coming for therapy at my facility and recommended she come to me. I immediately diagnosed her pain as plantar fasciitis coming from a strained hip muscle which was altering her weight bearing through the foot creating irritation of the plantar fascia. To think that this woman could have ended up with an ankle fusion for no reason is chilling.

Whether it is knee pain around the knee cap coming from a meniscal tear which can never create pain around the knee cap, gluteal region pain being caused by a herniated disc in the lumbar region which has no nerve pathway to the gluteal region or numbness in the whole hand coming from carpal tunnel syndrome which can only possibly affect the first three fingers, diagnoses of causes of symptoms that can never create the symptom is rampid. The medical establishment simply uses a diagnostic test and gets positive findings and presto, they have a diagnosis. If the diagnosis can't possibly create the symptom, it appears that is not important. As long as they seem to have something to treat, they are very happy. Unfortunately for the layperson, they are 100% defenseless to know the difference. And every bit of evidence is showing that surgery is being performed and pain is not being resolved. It should be obvious that this result indicates that surgery is not being performed on the true cause of symptoms.

Studies showing the results of surgeries performed to resolve knee pain due to osteoarthritis and back pain due to vertebral fractures as defined by the medical establishment via x-rays and MRIs as the cause of these symptoms showed absolutely no decrease in pain whether the actual surgery or a mock surgery was performed. These findings are eye opening and should put a halt to surgery until these findings can be investigated.

Even one unnecessary surgery is one to many. Don't become a statistic. Understand what your symptoms are and what the potential cause of these symptoms can be. You must take responsibility for your health. Getting a surgery must become as much your decision as the physician's decision. If they are not willing to attempt to correlate your symptoms to a legitimate cause, you had better.

Pain and Scarring Following Surgery

With surgery comes pain - a basic medical fact. Every surgery involves an incision, a surgical cut into body tissue or an organ. The site of the incision is called a wound, whether on the surface or deep inside the body. A surgical incision is an assault on the body. Cutting tissue and nerve endings traumatizes, or shocks, them. This causes pain.

Surgical Pain

Pain, and a person's reaction to it, is highly individualized. The amount and intensity of surgical pain depends on your overall fitness and health, your tolerance for pain, and the operation you have. Certain major operations - such as Caesarean section and traditional open hysterectomy - that involve large surface incisions and procedures deep in the body result in more surgical pain than some minor operations do.

Fortunately, for an operation, you receive an anesthetic. An anaesthetic is a medicine that slows down some of your body's systems and prevents you from feeling pain during your operation.

Unfortunately, the anaesthetic wears off. You feel pain and discomfort after your operation. This pain is known as surgery pain, surgical pain, or post-surgical pain. The pain is a kind of post-traumatic stress to the spinal cord, the part of the central nervous system that carries pain messages to the brain.

Adhesions and Scars

Post-surgical pain is usually caused by scarring, also known as adhesion formation. Post-surgical adhesions and scars are a natural and necessary part of recovery. Adhesions begin to form almost immediately after tissue is cut and make up the first step in the healing process. When body tissue is cut, tiny strands of a protein called collagen rush in to repair the damage. Collagen is a glue-like substance that binds, or reconnects, damaged tissue. It works on tissue both on the surface and deep inside the body. The microscopic but strong collagen fibers begin the process of post-surgical adhesion formation, creating scars that last a lifetime.

Post-surgical adhesions and scars cause pain when the tissue begins to shrink and the adhesions restrict nearby tissue or internal body structures designed to move independently. This can create a painful cramping or pulling sensation inside the body. To make matters worse, this restriction can cause irritation that triggers even more adhesion formation.

Complications

Post-surgical adhesions can lead to other problems besides pain, depending on where inside the body they form. For example, adhesions in the bowels can cause diarrhea, constipation, or bowel obstruction (partial or complete blockage of the bowel), a potentially life-threatening condition. Post-surgical adhesions in the female reproductive tract can lead to painful intercourse or infertility.

Treatment

Surgery pain is controlled mostly by medication - painkillers such as acetaminophen (brand names, Tylenol, Anacin AF, Panadol, and others). Managing surgery pain has become a high priority in hospitals and clinics. Reducing pain helps the body recover faster afar surgery. Following surgery, nurses constantly monitor your basic body functions, known as your vital signs. The four traditional vital signs are blood pressure, heart rate (pulse), body temperature, and breathing rate. Pain level, a fifth vital sign, is now widely recognized as an important health indicator.

In many cases, however, surgery pain caused by adhesions is chronic, lasting a long time. The usual treatment for chronic surgery pain is more surgery to remove or repair the adhesions. Repeat surgery can remove some internal scars, but it can also leave behind new adhesions that bring on pain - sometimes worse than before. Some alternative treatments for surgery pain have proven effective. Stress management, acupuncture, and certain types of physical therapy show promise for relieving surgery pain.

Pain Management After Knee Surgery

Post surgical pain can be intolerable, especially after an orthopedic procedure. The good news is that modern pain management treatment can alleviate a significant degree of pain and discomfort. There are healthcare centers in New York where physicians offer treatments that provide great relief to patients who have recently undergone a knee surgery.

Pain Management Specialists

These specialists comprise a team of medical practitioners such as psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, neurologists and orthopedists. They assess the condition of the patient and take into account the extensiveness of the surgery. This helps them formulate a customized multi-disciplinary treatment plan by combining pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic procedures.

Effective Pain Relieving Techniques

Symptoms of pain are addressed at the physical and psychological level by adopting certain techniques. These are effective if performed under the care and guidance of experienced doctors.

Rest and relaxation - It is the most essential part of the treatment plan, especially after a major knee surgery such as a knee replacement. Muscle relaxation and exercises - Therapists would assist patients in both the techniques to ease stress related pain and improve joint motion. Heat or cold compressions - These help to reduce the intensity of pain and swelling. NSAIDS and narcotic medication - Physicians prescribe pain relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs if needed. Pain relieving modalities - TENS Unit (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) may be used to decrease pain perception. Knee elevation - Patients who have had a knee replacement surgery would need to elevate their legs higher than their hip. This positioning can be adopted when the patient is in bed, recliner or chair as this would reduce the sensation of pain.

Live a Life Free from Pain

Patients don't have to worry about suffering excruciating pain after a knee surgery. Pain management centers are there to help you live a comfortable life. It is best to learn about what you can expect after a surgical procedure and be prepared. Talk to specialists and know how quickly they can get you back on your feet with their specialized care.

How to Speed Healing After Surgery or Accident

If you have recently had or are about to have surgery or if you have been injured in an accident you can improve your chances of a quicker recovery. Although surgery is sometimes necessary to help improve your health, or save your life, recovering from it can be very stressful on many levels. There are always factors to consider. Be certain to communicate with your medical team. Ask your doctor if there are any restrictions regarding movement, diet, climate, medications, requirements for at home medical assistance, or complementary therapies. They can help you lay out a recovery plan or wellness program. Beyond the typical recovery routine that may include medications, physical therapy, or visits with a counselor or nurse, your body will need to get all of the supportive nutrients that are required for complete and speedy recovery. The following list will give you some idea of all that can be added to your health recovery regime---with the approval of your physician.

1. Rest and immobilization as required by your doctor.Be sure that your room has adequate fresh air as ionization helps recovery time; having an oxygen rich environment and sunshine are important - again unless restricted by your medical team.

2. Bathing or showering as allowed - at least warm sponge baths to remove toxins being eliminated by your skin.

3. Fill the room with fresh flowers and plants to uplift your mood.

4. Watch TV programs and movies that make you feel good - and if you are allowed to laugh definitely watch movies that keep you laughing and giggling often. Improving your mood is definitely important to healing. In fact, there are now hospital humor programs where personnel are trained to help make you laugh. Laughter is very healing!

5. Allow only those visitors with a positive mental outlook; people that make you feel happy when you see them.

6. Keep your bowels moving. Some medications have side effects that include sluggish bowel movements or constipation. Drink purified water at room temperature unless you are really warm and cool water feels better to you. However, digestion is always best without too hot or too cold water in the digestive tract. Stay away from coffee because caffeine may be dehydrating. Consider the proper diet to help yourself heal well

7. Your diet (again check with your personal physician to be certain these suggestions are appropriate for you) should be filled with foods that are nutrient rich. And every bite and everything you drink should be as valuable as possible. That means that you should eat foods that are whole, grown without herbicides, pesticides, unchanged by man. Avoid processed foods and drinks. Get close to nature. Sometimes baby foods are required if you cannot swallow easily or have compromised digestion or loss of appetite. If not, just follow some of the suggestions below:

Clear broths either chicken, beef or veal are good for healing. Soups that start with a clear brother and contain fresh vegetables as well are important. When you are ill or injured your body will not readily produce the enzymes it needs to complete digestion. We will talk about digestion enzymes a little later.

Having sufficient protein is critical to healing. As protein is assimilated it is broken down into amino acids, often called the building blocks. So, if you are unable to eat foods such as fish, chicken, turkey, veal, portk, eggs, cheese, tofu, beans, nuts and seeds, you may need to purchase protein powders and mix them with soy milk, almond milk, regular milk, or just room temp water. Ionized whey powders are probably the easiest to assimilate in small quantities, but again chew the shake (I know that sounds weird) because it would be similar to eating a steak without chewing it--very concentrated and not easily absorbed even in powdered form if you are ill. Sip on the shakes that you drink--some people enjoy adding fruit like berries or bananas.

Eat more fruits and vegetables for starters. Avoid sugars, too much salt. Avoid snacks and lifeless foods that rob your body of energy. Avoid sodas, alcohol, white flour breads, cereals, pancakes and pastas. Avoid candy and cakes unless just occasional.

Buy organically grown and made foods if possible. Instead of drinking fruit juices eat the whole food. However, if you can get organically grown fruits and vegetables you can make delicious juices (save the pulp for soup) by combining dark green veggies with carrots and beets and pear juice or pineapple or cherry or apple to make it more palatable. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with life supporting nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. If you have a juicer that's terrific, if you don't you can just use a food processor or a blender to pulverize pulp and some seeds. Be sure that you chew the juice, do not just swallow it. Your digestive system will work best if you don't just swallow foods even when "juiced." Chew to begin the signal to the brain that you will need enzymes for complete digestion.

Beets and beet tops, dandelion greens, parsley, argula, mustard greens, carrots and tops, and fresh lemon juice are wonderful to support liver function. Supporting your liver is extremely important as it will help you to purify your blood. The liver will help to remove toxic residue from anaesthesia and other medications. It helps to flush away waste products of all kinds so it is very important to give the liver all that needs to do its job well.

8. Vitamins/Minerals/other nutrients: Giving your body a multi-vitamin/mineral formula is integral to healing. Concentrate as well on anti-oxidants such as Vitamins A,C,E, + Zinc. Add to that a formula that includes other protective elements such as grapeseed extract, green tea (not if you have high blood pressure because it is stimulating) berries,...many anti-oxidants available today in combination formulas. A separate bone building formula that includes, Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Boron, is important. (ask the doctor again because certain medications may be conflicting here) important to rebuilding bone.

9. Exercise and rehabilitation routinely help to strengthen muscle, ligaments, tendons and bones. Circulation is integral to wellness. Do what you are allowed to do. Check into "rubber stretch bands" to help initiate mobility if allowed --really good and gentle on joints for starters. Rebounders are also good for circulation as you become more mobile. These are mini trampolines and you can gently bounce while watching TV or listening to music--very enjoyable experience and good for you. Let your physical therapist, nurse or aid instruct you here.

10. Homeopathic remedies can also be beneficial to stimulate your body's immune system and healing response time. Please seek the advice of an MD who practices homeopathic medicine. Go to www.vithoulkas.com to find highly trained classical homeopaths in your area.

11. Stress relief measures such as Yoga, Bio-Feedback, Meditation: Learning how to quiet and clear the mind of stressful thoughts, worries, and fears can add much to your healing program. When your body stops getting disturbing signals from your brain it can more readily attend to physical healing. Do whatever seems to soothe you most. If allowed soaking in a warm tub might help reduce aching muscles and calm the nerves. Aromatherapy is also good for soothing your senses. Try lavender under your pillow, or vanilla candles to bring tranquility. Music is also wonderful for the nervous system. Choose calming classical music, new age flutes and bells, easy listening tunes to help stay relaxed.

12. Massage therapy and acupuncture or acupressure can complement your healing program. Bringing greater circulation to an injured or ill body can speed healing. Ask your physician if this is allowed. Sometimes having circulation cuffs on your legs are recommended by doctors after surgery or injury. This might be a good way to speed healing with limited exertion.

13. Digestive Enzymes help you assimilate and absorb nutrients that are important to healing. A product such as AbsorbAid that has been clinically tested and scientifically proven to increase the absorption of vital nutrients by up to 71% can really help speed recovery time. AbsorbAid is a 100% plant based enzyme formula that works well for most all individuals--if you can eat fruits and vegetables you can take AbsorbAid Platinum. It is so safe the original AbsorbAid has been used in feeding tubes in nursing home trials with excellent results at increasing protein utilization. Amino acids are the building blocks so adding AbsorbAid digestive enzymes can really be beneficial.

14. Visualization: Visualize yourself totally well, doing whatever it is that you most enjoy in your mind first ---I used to tell my patients to See, Feel and make it Real! The joy you get from imagining yourself completely well and up doing what you most enjoy can uplift your spirits and speed healing. Guided imagery tapes are readily available today.

15. Prayer and Faith: have a profound effect on healing for many people. When you believe that you will be well it can elevate your body's responses. There are many documented cases of people healing when they are certain they will! So prepare yourself for recovery and get excited about it!

Wishing you a speedy recovery!