Mark Gerard's Therapeutic Massage

Millions of Americans have some form of scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine. Of course, we all know that it’s normal for the spine to have a slight curve, a kind of soft “s” that we see when looking at someone’s from the side. Scoliosis, however, often results in a curvature that you see from behind. Where most spines stand up vertically when seen from behind, the scoliosis spine forms a slight (and in some cases dramatic) parenthesis.

Especially in children, this might make one shoulder or hip higher than the other. One shoulder blade might stick out more than the other. Or the head might be off-center from the rest of the body.

Massage is by no means a cure for scoliosis; in fact there is no cure. But it can relieve the pain and discomfort associated with it. As you can imagine, misalignment of a bone structure as intricate as the spine pulls muscles at an abnormal angle. Treatment involves softening these muscles and others that surround them.

The 3 types of scoliosis

But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, let me tell you about the causes of scoliosis. You might be surprised that it sometimes results from other conditions in the body – that it is actually a secondary symptom. For instance, if someone’s right leg is longer than the left, she or he might walk a little “off-kilter,” which can curve the spine over a long period of time. In other cases, frequent and prolonged muscle spasms in the back can tug at the spine and bring it out of alignment. These types of scoliosis are called “functional” because they are a function of some other condition.

Neuromuscular scoliosis results from problems in spinal development. Bones or vertebrae might not have formed completely or they might not have separated from each other. It could be a birth defect, muscular dystrophy, or cerebral palsy that’s to blame here. This more severe type of scoliosis is often treated aggressively, even with surgery.

Then there’s degenerative scoliosis. As its name implies, this develops in older adults. It might be arthritis that leads to the spine curvature, but a softening of ligaments and other soft tissue around the spine might also be the culprit.

How massage can help

Aside from the obvious visual cue in the more extreme cases, other symptoms of scoliosis include shortness of breath, headaches, back pain, sciatica, and insomnia. When you live with one or more of these symptoms every hour of every day, life can seem like one uphill battle after another, with no end in sight. And though it is true that there is no cure for scoliosis, many medical treatments (like a back brace or bone grafting) can prevent its progression. And massage therapy is widely recognized as an option to help relieve symptoms.

Cranial-sacral therapy massages the muscle surrounding the spinal column, the adjacent adipose tissue, and dural tube (the membrane around the spinal cord). Repeated therapy brings some stability to the spine and its functioning.

Deep tissue work and stretching the muscles around the spine can increase circulation to the area and bring some pain relief. By relaxing and elongating these muscles, their pull on the spine is relieved.

Scoliosis, or any painful condition of the back, can sometimes seem insurmountable. And though I don’t have the qualifications to diagnose the condition, I’m thrilled to have helped some of my clients get relief from their discomfort. Honestly, nothing gives me more satisfaction.