Acupuncture is a 2,500 year old Chinese traditional medicine treatment that strives to balance energy pathways in the human body to foster optimal health. Based on clinical studies published in the journal “Scoliosis” in 2008, acupuncture has been proven to help inhibit the development of scoliosis, an abnormal sideway curvature of the spine. However, before getting acupuncture treatment for the treatment of scoliosis or any other health problem, you need to talk to your physician first.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture in West Orange is widely used to relieve and control pain and treat other illnesses. It works by stimulating points on your body through the use of various techniques although the most widely studied procedure is the insertion of solid metallic thin needles that penetrate the skin and then are manipulated by electrical stimulation or manually. According to traditional Chinese medicine, good health and well-being is based on the internal balance of energy forces known as yin and yang. Yin represents passive, slow energy while, yang symbolizes active, excited energy in the body. When an imbalance in these two energy forces occur, this means certain energy channels or meridians have developed blockage that restrict the flow of energy in the body resulting in disease. Acupuncture is then administered to remove the blockage restoring the smooth flow of vital energy as well as the health and well-being of the person. Despite being considered safe, you need to consult with your physician before using acupuncture as a remedy for your condition.
Scoliosis
So far, there is no cure for scoliosis (also called kyphoscoliosis), a spinal cord disorder that affects about six million Americans. This condition causes an abnormal curvature of the spine brought on by an improper formation of a person’s spinal bones before birth. It can also be caused by paralysis and muscle weakness such as spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, and cerebral palsy. According to PubMed Health, a different type of scoliosis, called idiopathic scoliosis, can happen in a number of adolescents for unknown reasons. A breakdown of the spinal column associated with aging, can also cause scoliosis. Spinal deformity symptoms include a front-to-back abnormal spinal curvature, an abnormal sideway curvature of the spin, uneven shoulder or hips, and low-back pain. Besides that, after standing or sitting for long periods of time you may also suffer from fatigue in your spine. Conventional scoliosis modalities will be based on the gravity and cause of the condition, and may involve surgery or the use of a back brace. Acupuncture can be used to reduce the deformity and the other symptoms.
Idiopathic Scoliosis
A German study conducted at the Asklepios Katharina Schroth Spinal Deformities Rehabilitation Center in January 2008 investigated the efficacy of acupuncture in 24 girls who have been diagnosed with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. Researchers grouped the girls into two during the first day. One group was treated with 25 minute sessions of sham acupuncture in which needles were inserted at incorrect points. The other group was treated with real acupuncture with the same number and duration of treatment sessions as the sham acupuncture group. The next day, all the subjects were treated with one real acupuncture treatment. In the subject whose spinal curvature was greater than 35 degrees, no improvement was observed. In subjects with spinal curvatures 16 to 35 degrees, who were treated with real acupuncture treatments, significant improvements were observed. While results suggest that one real acupuncture session seems to lead to a reduction of the scoliosis deformity in some of the subjects, the researchers concluded that more scientific evidence is required to validate the efficacy of acupuncture in treating the symptoms of scoliosis.
Scoliosis and Pain
Older patients suffering from adult degenerative scoliosis (that may be due to a combination of factors: degeneration of the spine and age) can also benefit from acupuncture. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in its August 2009 edition published a study that monitored the efficacy of acupuncture treatment on curvature progression in adult degenerative scoliosis and low-back pain. The study observed a 74-year old female patient who had been suffering from scoliosis and low-back pain for two years despite using conventional therapies, such as drugs and rehabilitation during those times. The woman’s back pain was not only alleviated but her abnormal spinal curvature also decreased after getting acupuncture treatments for six weeks three times each week. Results indicate acupuncture’s importance in controlling pain as well as improving curvature progression in sufferers of degenerative scoliosis. As usual, the researchers concluded that there was not enough clinical evidence to prove conclusively acupuncture’s effectiveness the treating degenerative scoliosis and pain.