Hi Duncan, I sent the email to you two days ago and will wait for your response.

Hello Duncan, I’m not sure if there are any massage therapists near to you who practice Trigger Point Massage or Neuromuscular Massage Therapy but if you can find someone, there is a good chance that they could help. They are all over the world so there may be someone with that training.

I don’t know how much of a scoliosis your daughter has. Is there any chance that you could email to me a photograph of her back and hips? As long as I can see most of her spine, shoulders and hip bones, that’s enough for me to give you more information. She can be covered modestly as I don’t want her to be uncomfortable but the more of those bones that I can see, the better evaluation and suggestions I can make. I am sending you an email from my address so you can send me a photo if you would like. When I have more information from you, I can give you more of my best long distance thoughts.

If you have enough information, you may be able to provide treatment for your daughter yourself. I’m looking for another video that I saw recently that could be helpful and will continue to look for it but in the meantime, here’s one that may be helpful for you. The thing is, if you do treatment yourself (or her mother or anyone else) the goal is to EASE the muscles to relax, not to force them. Tight muscles on one side of the spine can cause the spine to be in a big C or in an S shape (in the case of an S, muscles are pulling on both sides of the spine in two different areas.) You will gently place your flat hand into the inside of the C <-- and with your hand, thoughtfully feel the muscles to help them relax. We go into the inside curve of the C. I hope this will start to help. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=188PTlRq1Qo There is the little video to watch.

Kathryn

Dear Louise Marie, I am sorry I didn’t see your message earlier. Just now found it. I’m in the Detroit area, too, southwest of Detroit. If your chiropractor is working in the right areas, he is doing the correct thing. There is specialized training which teaches how and where to work into the tight muscles that are pulling the spine out of alignment. It means ‘going into the holes’ rather than treating the bunched up, high areas. Also, it’s important to look for the CAUSE of your scoliosis. It could be that your legs are different lengths, which is pretty common, or that your hip bones are two different sizes.

I’m not an expert in laser treatment and do not know what the benefits would be. I only know what I know and do. I’m glad you are doing yoga! Good job! Here’s the link to my treatment website, in case you want more information or to talk with me. http://massagetherapytrentonmichigan.weebly.com/about-kathryn-merrow.html

Kathryn Merrow
The Pain Relief Coach

Hello Makhenda, I am not an expert on surgery but I will tell you what I do know. Oftentimes scoliosis is caused by irregularities of bones. Some doctors look for a cause of scoliosis but most others just wonder, “How can I fix this?” without looking for the cause of the curves. The cause can be below the hips because that’s how bodies work. If the foundation of your structure is not straight and stable, the structure will tilt, regardless of whether it’s a building or a person. So, let’s talk about bones.

If the upper or lower leg bone is shorter on one side, that will cause a tilt in the pelvis. That, in turn, will cause the spine to tilt, twist or curve or develop a scoliosis curve. It’s fairly easy for a doctor to measure a leg length difference with x-rays. If that is the case, a lift under the shoe of the short leg will start the correction of the curve. One out of ten of us has a leg length difference that matters (1/8″ or more).

If one side of the pelvis is smaller than the other (one hip bone smaller) that will cause the spine to tilt and curve. One out of 100 of us has a smaller hemipelvis. The solution is the same: Lift the short side and also sit on a lift under the ‘sit bone’ of the smaller side.

If there is a deformation in the spine bones, that can cause a tilt. Sometimes a vertebrae is triangle-shaped instead of rectangle shaped.

Now, let’s talk about muscles. Muscles move bones. If or when muscles become short and tight, they will pull the bones out of alignment. If muscles become tight and stay tight, they can get tighter and tighter over time and cause more and more of a curve. Therefor, helping the muscles relax will help the curve soften and become less. Corrective massage can be used to help straighten spines but if the spine has an irregularly-shaped vertebrae, it will help less. We cannot fix the shape of a misshapen bone with massage or chiropractic.

An inversion table will help lengthen the spine and relax the muscles around the spine. Lifts under the foot or sit bone will help level a body. A specialist in corrective massage will treat the tight muscles on the short sides of the spine to help them relax. (There is usually more than one curve.) Stretching helps if the short muscles are stretched 4 times more than the longer side.

If there is a ‘hole’ in the back or a ‘C’ to the spine, the inside of the ‘C’ or the opening of the ‘hole’ is where the shorter muscles are. People, including therapists, have a tendency to treat the muscles on the prominent side of the spine–the side that sticks out more–but that’s not the side that needs treatment, even if it is the side that complains the most. “Go into the hole and open it.” Tight muscles will be tender when pressed into with the correct pressure but it will feel appropriate to the patient; it will feel right. (“That hurts; don’t stop.”)

I am happy that you are looking for less invasive ways to treat your beautiful daughter’s spine and I wish you and her the very best. I hope I helped explain natural treatments for scoliosis clearly. I would like to add that it will take effort now and will be a life-long practice of stretching to maintain corrections that are obtained naturally. That’s okay.

Kathryn Merrow
The Pain Relief Coach

Hi Nicole,

I wrote several articles about scoliosis at another of my natural pain relief websites and here is the link: http://www.simplebackpainrelief.com/?s=scoliosis;

Correcting your flat feet with good arch supports will help your posture. You can buy them at a running shoe store. You want something that is sturdy and that fills in your flat arch–it should feel reasonably comfortable even at first, as though it is supporting your foot. The size of the arch support might be a different size than your shoe, depending on the length of your arch. You can help your muscles adapt to the arches by rolling your feet back and forth on a tennis ball or golf ball for several minutes. (That’s a way of massaging your foot muscles.) Wear them for just an hour or two at first and gradually build up to all day.

There is a reason for the scoliosis. It may be actually physical (for instance, a shorter leg bone on one side.) Or it may be from habit. Please read the articles and come back with more questions. I am happy to help you figure out how to get rid of your scoliosis.

Kathryn Merrow
The Pain Relief Coach

I am 21 was diagnosed with mild scoliosis since age 11 and I also have flat feet I was wondering what I can do to get rid of the problem

Hi Mike,

Thank you for writing. I appreciate your concern.

There is a difference between “pain relief” and “pain management.” Sometimes all that can be offered is “management” because of a person’s illness or situation. That’s where “pain relief coach” comes from rather than “pain management.” I do not and cannot provide medication or surgery. Natural pain relief is all I can offer.

Of course, every body is different. But I cannot respond to every body unless that person asks for an opinion.

But, way too often, management is what is offered by the medical community when “relief” is possible, naturally and without drugs or surgery.

A great deal of what the medical community knows about scoliosis overlooks the roles of muscles, posture and habits. And the roles of muscles and soft tissue as causes of pain and dysfunction is not something that’s widely taught in medical schools. Is conventional medicine sometimes required? Sure, it is! And I am grateful for the skill of surgeons and physicians–when needed.

A lot of medical treatments and prescriptions are not based on evidence-based research. Of course, research can be skewed depending on who’s doing it and what the end goal is. For instance, a surgeon will envision a different outcome than a massage therapist or painter or a drug manufacturer or medical instrument manufacturer.

All of my words and writing is my own. I have had excellent training and years of experience. I have, however, seen my articles pirated and used elsewhere.

Take good care of yourself and thank you for inquiring.

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

A two second search of evidence based articles refutes most of what you’ve simply copy pasted from other people’s websites regarding what the medical community knows about scoliosis.

Shame on you.

Hi Sophia,

Did you go to http://SimpleBackPainRelief.com yet? I have about 5 articles there about scoliosis. Lots of times if you really pay attention to the posture of yoga instructors you will see they have asymmetrical bodies. The reason they are doing so much yoga is because it helps them feel much better. Strengthening the core does help a weak body. Many people with scoliosis have weak back muscles.

Does your daughter have poor posture besides the scoliosis? Does she slouch?

Here’s the thing: If the scoliosis is just because of poor habits, strengthening will definitely help. However, if her scoliosis is caused by a small hip bone or short bone in one leg or one flat arch, then strengthening will help some but it won’t get rid of the problem.

But, correcting the small pelvis, short leg or flat foot with lifts will make a big difference. Do that in conjunction with strengthening her torso/back muscles will help the most.

Also, if you are able to find a muscle specialist who can measure your daughter’s pelvis or legs and who knows how to relax the muscles on the inner sides of the curves, that would give the quickest results.

Thank you for writing. I am sorry I don’t have specific DVD’s to recommend for yoga or Pilates but an excellent DVD about posture is Posture, Get It Straight. You can click on that link and it will take you to the DVD on Amazon. There is also a book by the same name and author.

And there are lots of good yoga videos. Go to the library and try some of the videos they have so you can decide which yoga or Pilates video to buy for your daughter to use at home.

I’m glad you are looking at natural solutions for your daughter’s scoliosis. I have to admit I hate hearing about a young person having surgery to straighten their spine without first going a more conservative route. I love surgeons, God bless them, but sometimes that’s not the answer and it causes future problems.

It’s rarely front of the body muscles that need strengthening. It’s virtually always muscles in the back from knees to skull.

It’s really great that your daughter is so young. A young body adapts much more quickly to natural corrections for scoliosis than a ‘well-seasoned’ body.

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

Hi Nina,

‘Iodiopathic’ means ‘no known cause.’ But if the cause was a misshapen bone in your spine, it would have shown up. If the cause is tight muscles or other soft tissues, it wouldn’t.

Almost everything has a cause. Here is the link to another of my natural pain relief websites. There are 8 or so articles and comments there that will give you much more information. The link will take you to the Scoliosis Category. If it doesn’t work, go to http://SimpleBackPainRelief.com and use the Search feature for Scoliosis.

http://www.simplebackpainrelief.com/?s=scoliosis

The muscles that cause your curves are on the insides of your curves. Those are the ones that need treatment to help them relax. Sometimes they are very hard to isolate oneself, especially if the curves are short (1/2 the back) rather than a longer curve that is most of the length of the spine.

In any case, there are muscular therapists who truly understand how bodies work. Can you find a Paul St. John trained Neuromuscular Massage Therapist there? There may be one or more
or possibly a Rolfer?

Usually the longer weaker muscles are the ones where the pain is. But the shorter muscles on the insides of the curves are the ones that need treatment.

We could make an arrangement for you to send photos if you feel you need a long distance assessment. I would probably be able to give you the areas for a muscle or massage therapist to treat and for you to stretch or prop. Let me know if you are interested. My fee is reasonable.

Keep on swimming. Stretching on an incline bench or inversion table is also good for scoliosis. The incline doesn’t have to be extreme.

You are welcome and I hope this helps.

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

I am 21 years old, and I have ‘idiopathic’ 40 degree S curve. I’ve tried literally everything. I was almost put on operation, which I would have declined. Right now I swim and take regular exercise and also visit physiotherapist, but my condition is not better, the curving just stopped, and I feel pain sometimes. I tried doing only exercises for one side of the body, but it always seems that those muscles that curve my spine are stronger and I cannot isolate them in order to strengthen the weak ones. I live in Eu, therefore cannot I go to US for treatment:) But I was wondering if you maybe had any advice for me as well. I can also send you my MRI scan.

Thanks for helping,
Nina

Hi Dawn,

Thank you for writing. Mine may not have been as much as your daughters’ curve. I was never assessed by a medical doctor. But regardless, I watched treatment of a chiropractic student who had such scoliotic curves that I doubted he would ever be able to work as a chiropractor. He was treated by Paul St. John of StJohn-Clarkptc.com in Florida. The next day the student was upright and quite straight.

Doctors tend to advise what they learned. And that isn’t usually something as natural as massage. Part of that problem is that they only know what they know, like everyone. Also, there is no benefit to the doctor to recommend someone outside his practice.

You would be looking for a St. John neuromuscular or neurosomatic therapist who understands posture and treatment of scoliosis. When Paul treated me it was about 8 hours during the course of a week and made huge differences. He has trained therapists all over the country but look for one who has taken all of his training and interview them first.

You may be able to make some assessments yourself by observing her standing straight as possible and looking straight at her. As her jeans pockets even? Can you see both the same? Or is one less visible?

Does her belt or waistband sit level? Or is it tilted to one side? Those are clues. They will help you or a therapist figure out what is causing the scoliosis.

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach