Pain Relief for Neuromuscular Scoliosis

[rdmc]

I had posted a thread near the first of the year about being diagnosed with a 40 degree scoliosis curve. They said it was due to the MS weakened muscles on one side.

So I started PT, and have done that ever since, but it would only give relief for a little while because the therapy consisted of getting some of the tighter muscles, caused by the lean, loosened up.

Because I wasn't really making any progress, and surgery was out of the question due to pump, etc. they ordered a brace, evidently it's fairly new on the market. It's designed with one specific outcome, and that is to relieve pain in adult scoliosis patients.

It took ages to get it approved by insurance, then ordered, and finally to get into the orthotic clinic to have it fitted. It's not uncomfortable, notthing like the turtle shell brace I've seen, and it is so practical in that it's easily put on and taken off.

My pain is relieved, at least when the brace is on, and also there's a residual pain relief that lasts for an hour or so when the brace is off. My posture and lean are gone with the brace on, and improved, even when the brace is off.

If you google Aspen Peak Scoliosis Brace, there are videos and explanations of how it works.

Next to my baclofen pump, this is the 2nd most effective treatment/device I've received for an MS symptom.

[Tia1]

update

How are things going with the brace?

[Seasha]

Wow! I missed this the first go around and glad to see this post. I might be a good candidate for one of these braces as well. I have neuromuscular scoliosis and my posture is getting worse as time goes by. My walking and gate (MS related) accentuates this tremendously. Just this morning it popped into my head about bracing to help this and the pain that accompanies it. I would like ot stay away from surgery.

Did you get a referral for one through PT or did your Dr. make the referral?
Also, like Tia asks, how are you doing now? Any relief?
Hope so!

[rdmc]

Wow, I haven't been on the site for awhile, and then when I check in, I see this thread.

The brace is great. It's awkward, I don't wear it out in public because it goes over your clothes
and has a rod up one side, so there's just no way to disguise it. But I don't go a lot of places
anyway. It seems Dr's comprise my social schedule

My physiatrist (the Doctor who manages my pump and PT) is the one who recommended it
and they referred me to an orthotic and prosthesis clinic. They ordered the brace for me.
I have noticed you can buy them outright online, but they're expensive...around $1700.

At first the clinic had me pay them for my portion of it, they had calculated what I would
owe. But I ended up getting the fee that I had paid refunded. I guess my insurance must
have good coverage on Durable Medical Equipment.

I immediately put it on whenever I'm going to be standing or doing things around the house.
Actually, I put it on, right after I get out of bed in the morning. I probably wear it 6 hours
a day. The best part is, if I forget to put it on, or try to get things done without it, once the
pain and spasm hit, I can go slap on the brace, and the pain will ease within a few minutes.

It doesn't correct the scoliosis, it doesn't even keep it from progressing, but it does relieve
pain and allows me to stand up straight instead of crooked and leaning to one side.

You can watch youtube videos of the brace or read about it online...just use Aspen Peak Scoliosis Brace to pull up info in google or on youtube.