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WHAT IS SCOLIOSIS?
What is Scoliosis?
Idiopathic scoliosis is a lifetime, systemic condition of unknown cause. Scoliosis is a disease of the neuromusculoskeletal system. More common in adolescent girls, but increasingly diagnosed in boys as well. Most common in adolescent girls, it is progressive, psychologically detrimental and can cause both increased pain and increased physical disfigurement as it progresses.
Scoliosis is a disease that affects millions of children and adults. Despite its relative commonness, contemporary medicine has found no long-term successful treatment that does not cause more health problems than it helps short term. Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature or rotation in the spine, and it can lead to a number of complications if unaddressed. Mainstream medicine does not guarantee to long term correction and, because of this, many people have begun to seek alternative scoliosis treatments.
Causes of Scoliosis
Although it has seemingly existed since the beginning of time, the causes of scoliosis are generally unknown. The National Health Service states that for 80% of the cases, there is no known cause. There are several types of scoliosis, and they are based on the age of the patient when diagnosed and, in some cases, genetic complications.
Infantile scoliosis is diagnosed from birth until the age of three; juvenile scoliosis is diagnosed from the ages of three to ten, and adolescent scoliosis is diagnosed from the age of ten until the growing process is complete. ‘De Novo’ scoliosis affects mostly adults and senior citizens who develop scoliosis and /or ‘kyphosis’ (forward bending of the spine). There may or may not be pain associated with all forms of scoliosis. Neuromuscular scoliosis, another type, is due to underlying neurological conditions, such as cerebral palsy.
Symptoms
The symptoms of scoliosis vary depending on the age and severity of the condition. The symptoms are almost always absent until the ‘Cobb Angle’ (degree of curvature of the spine) rises above 30 degrees). It is therefore oftentimes missed in standard pediatric or regular physical examinations. , and with minor cases of scoliosis the symptoms can be almost nonexistent. Mild to moderate scoliosis conditions can often be overlooked with the naked eye. This is both ‘good news’ and ‘bad news’. The good news is that in many cases there is no pain. The bad news is that while there is no pain, the scoliosis continues to progress. It is not uncommon for symptoms to begin when a person is 35-50 years old and they are shocked to see how advanced their Cobb Angles are since there had been no pain for so many years. Other common symptoms are uneven shoulders, waist and shoulder blades.
A person with scoliosis may also have a shoulder blade or side of the rib cage that protrudes more than the other side, and they may also have an inability to stand straight. The head may also be an indicator. If it isn’t centered above the pelvis, scoliosis may be the cause.
These symptoms can cause physical strains on the body, and chronic back pain and problems are not uncommon.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of scoliosis is generally straightforward and pain-free. Children across America are often screened at school or by their family doctor or chiropractor. The screening includes an examination of the back/spine, shoulders, chest, pelvis, and legs. If the doctor has trouble diagnosing scoliosis during the screening, an X-ray, MRI, or bone scan might be necessary.
After the x-ray, MRI, or bone scan is completed, the doctor will measure the curvature of the spine, and if there is a curve, an alternative scoliosis treatment method should begin right away so the curve cannot progress and create more problems for the patient.
Take a Home Test here.
Is there non-surgical treatment for scoliosis?
The standard ‘Medical Model’ is one of ‘Watch and Wait’. What that means is that the physician, usually an orthopedic surgeon, will simply re-x-ray a scoliosis patient, starting from either juvenile, adolescent, or adult curvatures. They’ll do this periodically until the curve reaches 25 degrees or greater. At that point, a hard brace known as a ‘Boston Brace’, which is worn almost all the time, can be prescribed. This can also have deleterious physical and psychological overtones for the patient, especially younger patients, and therefore compliance is a factor, and has been shown to increase the ‘hump’ by increasing rib cage rotation (ADD).
If continued progression is observed, surgical treatment for scoliosis is the last recommended traditional medical procedure. Whether the standard Titanium or Stainless Steel Rod is surgically implanted or the newer laser surgeries are performed, both are maximally invasive and results are spotty and inconsistent long term results. Research states “the initial average loss of spinal correction post-surgery is 3.2 degrees in the first year and 6.5 degrees after two years with continued loss of 1.0 degrees per year throughout life”[2]. You will not be given this information from the surgeon!
The average pre-operative scoliosis curvature is 72 degrees, while the post-operative surgical treatment for scoliosis results in an unimpressive 44 degrees which then continues to deteriorate each year thereafter. Doctors Woggon and Lawrence concluded that 44 percent of scoliosis bracing attempts are considered failures because they do not cease the scoliosis development. [3] It is also known that upper middle-class children wore the prescribed brace not more than 10% of the recommended time thereby negating any potential benefits. Scoliosis surgery also does nothing for the rib hump deformity.
Unsuccessful alternative non-medical scoliosis treatments include:
● Standard chiropractic care.● All standard 3-point bracing systems. (Boston, Providence, Charleston, Wilmington, Cheneau).● Soft brace system (SpinCor).● Shoe inserts or orthotics.● Standard physical therapy.● Standard exercise programs.● Soft tissue methods such as Alexander, Schroth, Pilates, Rolfing Feldenkrais Method, Cranial Sacral (these are all healthy programs but not to reduce or correct scoliosis).● Nutritional aids.
All the above waste early intervention.
The Cobb Angle
The Cobb angle was first described in 1948 by Dr. John R Cobb. It is a measurement in degrees used for evaluation of scoliosis curves on an AP radiographic projection of the spine.
For curves less than 10° the female/male ratio is essentially equal.
Rogala EJ, Drummond DS, Gurr J. Scoliosis: incidence and natural history. A prospective epidemiological study. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1978; 60(2):173-176
In larger curves the ratio increases to 8:1 but reverses again to 1:1 in curves greater than 30°.
Bunnell WP. The natural history of idiopathic scoliosis. Clin Orthop Relat Res 1988;(229):20-25.
A Home Test to Do
Have a loved one take a photo of your back (or the scoliosis patient) with shirt off while standing about 10 feet behind. Notice if there is a different space between the arms and the body (see sample photo). Take another photo with the subject flexed at 90 degrees and view of one side appears higher than the other side (see sample).
These are important signs that scoliosis may be present. If any of these signs are present, then specialized x rays should be taken immediately.
Video Testimonials
Great News: There is now a highly successful long-term non-surgical scoliosis corrective treatment. View our many patient video testimonials of our successful outcomes.
Scoliosis Correction Centers 2
Molly
Panama Treatment
Comment from Patient’s Mother
OMG that is amazing. Thank you so much.I just got off the phone with ortho here for Alex…as I want to keep him connected…if for no other reason then to prove the need for funding.
They are very interested to learn more. The pediatrician saw him yesterday and said he noticed a big difference. Also daycare stated his behavior was much different…I think he must be feeling better.
Is there any chance you will be able to send the pics of xrays (email) like you did with his last one so that I have as record and can compare and show people…I am still amazed at his progress.
CS, Alberta Canada
4 year old after 5 days
4 year old after 9 days
Scoliosis Treatment
Included in this highly effective non-invasive Breakthrough scoliosis treatment are, among 12 different therapies applied;
● Specific (instrument performed) spinal adjustments.● Whole Body Vibration Therapy, at a specific frequency and hertz (this is vital), which overrides the body's resistances and enhances results.● Rehabilitative procedures.● Specialized isometric exercises to strengthen core body muscles that are out of balance.● Proprioceptive neuromuscular re-education of the neuro/musculoskeletal system, which positively affects the scoliosis.● Restoration of the abnormal lateral curvatures in the neck and lower back, as well as pelvic rotation, some or all of which are inherent in scoliosis patients.● Vibration Therapy is a non-medical scoliosis treatment via the use of a ‘Vibrating Scoliosis Treatment Chair and Vibrating Platform,’ which is used to override the body’s proprioceptive defenses.
Because the scoliotic spine compresses and rotates three-dimensionally, it must be tractioned and de-rotated in order for it to correct.
Remarkable results were found utilizing these procedures in a retrospective study done by Morningstar, Woggon, and Lawrence.[3] 19 patients with scoliosis ranging from 15 to 52-degree Cobb angles (the angle which measures the degree of curvature of the spine) were monitored. Following the course of treatment, patients exhibited an average reduction of 62% or 17 degrees Cobb Angle. 8 out of 19 patients were no longer classified as scoliotic. The therapy takes a fraction of the 23 hours per day a patient typically wears the brace.
So, if you ask– “are there any treatments for scoliosis that are non-medical, non-invasive, avoid long-term bracing, whether soft bracing or hard bracing?” – the answer is: Yes, there are new breakthroughs in chiropractic and alternative scoliosis treatment of and for scoliosis.
[1] Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: natural history and long term treatment effects; Asher, Burton; Scoliosis 2006, 1:2.
[2] Misconceptions about scoliosis: D. Garnecki; Scoliosis mentoring program.
[3] BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders; Sept. 14, 2004.
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