Once again Doc…. “Why is my curve getting worse?”
There are several co- factors that play in scoliosis curve progression.
Early in scoliosis there exists a degeneration process of the muscles, ligaments, discs, and vertebral bodies of the spine. This degeneration occurs at a cellular level.
Sorry to say, the underlying disease of scoliosis is not seen on X-ray. X-rays can only monitor the position of the bone structure. In other words, as the spinal column is falling, changing position, “getting worse”, an X-Ray cannot detect cellular degeneration, it can only measure the location/angle of the spine. The cellular aspect of scoliosis should be addressed by additional tests.
Well…, with that being said, let’s face some of the hard scoliosis facts.
“As the curve increases”, the degeneration of the muscles, ligaments, and discs occur,…. and as the support of the muscles, ligaments and discs of the scoliosis spine decreases, the curve increase,…. thus spinal scoliosis degeneration occurs, or “curve got worse”, one may call the above process a vicious cycle.
Now for the good news!
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May 6, 2008
Ok, now we know that the muscles of the scoliosis spine are different from side to side.
The muscles on the convex side (the outside rounded part of the curve) are stretched and register higher muscle activity, which is seen on muscle tests (SEMG*). The muscles in the concave (inside of the curve) of the scoliosis spine are shorter and the muscle activity is much less. We also know that the concave scoliosis muscles are undergoing a scarring process which causes the shorting process of the muscle.
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May 8, 2008
“Why is my curve getting worse?”
Would you believe that the ligaments of the scoliosis person are also changing? The disease of scoliosis attacks the structure of the ligament. It becomes up to 2.5 times more flexible than normal. This added flexibility causes poor support of the spinal column and allows greater motion in the back joints. This added motion causes the scoliosis curve to progress and collapse.
The changes to the scoliosis ligaments are caused by excessive hormones, lack of vitamin D, poor digestion and absorption of calcium in the small intestine and cellular transport, and over stress load due to the curved sloping to one side.
These changes can be seen in scoliosis curves less than 3 degrees, by using SEMG*, blood assays and hormonal assay. I would especially advise these tests if one of the parents of a scoliosis child has scoliosis.
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May 13, 2008
“Why is my curve getting worse?”
Moving into the next area of “Why is my curve getting worse” is the neurotransmitters of the scoliosis person.
Yes the neurotransmitters are also affected in the scoliosis person much early than one would think. These changes occur before a 10 degree curve deformity appears.
I have had many questions asked by parents, why is my daughter so hard to get up in the morning, or she just doesn’t what to get moving until 10:00 or 11:00 in the morning. She just doesn’t listen to me and just tunes me out.
Another scoliosis neurotransmitter problem is she doesn’t want to go to sleep and is a night owl. She doesn’t want to eat breakfast and becomes spiteful.
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May 15, 2008
WOW… what a response to the neurotransmitter blog that affects the scoliosis person. Here is a bit more on neurotransmitters...
Neurotransmitters perform a very important role in cellular and nerve communication.
The most common neurotransmitter involvement is located in the brain, then in the Central Nervous System. The next location where neurotransmitters play an important role is in the gut. Yes the small intestine, that’s where some of the neurotransmitters are made.
Neurotransmitters are classified into two categories, excitatory and inhibitors. The excitatory are epinephrine and norepinephrine and the inhibitory are dopamine, serotonin, GABA, PEA, glutamate, glutamine and histamine. These are only a few and should not be considered the total list that can influence scoliosis.
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May 20, 2008
Would you have the notion that we covered all of those things that were involved in “Why is my curve getting worse?”
Not really, there’s more… Sorry to say scoliosis is complex and intriguing. But the good news is that we will teach you what to look for in scoliosis curve progression. You should not “ wait and see” if your scoliosis curve will progress.
For
example, one of first things that I look for in a scoliosis person, is a normal
cervical curve (neck curves) from a side view X-ray. If the x-ray reveals a
flatting of the normal cervical curve in a scoliosis child, the curve will
progress. In doctors terms this is called loss of cervical lordosis. This puts
abnormal stretch on the spinal cord and causes a change in the balancing
position. These signals are mistaken as normal, and in time the brain adapts to
this posture.
Ok…. Test time.
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May 22, 2008
Now that your understanding of scoliosis is growing, you know that a lateral (side) X-ray of the neck should always be included in that initial office visit. So much information of your scoliosis can be understood from this one film.
Let’s move to another important factor of scoliosis curve progression. The forward balance position of the hip can be seen in a standing X-ray. In scoliosis the pelvis bones are tweaked, or one side of the Ilium is lower. Now thinking 3 dimensional, the two ears of the Ilium are also twisted, one forward and the other backward.
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May 27, 2008
One of the most important signs/changes in a person with scoliosis is the ocular input. Yes often over looked, “the eyes”.
The scoliosis person's ability to see objects in front of them with the correct distance is usually missed judged. The right and left eye visual input to the posterior lobe of the brain is not equal or symmetrical.
The cause of this problem?
The scoliosis brain is slowly adjusting to the spinal curve. Another way of explaining scoliosis vision is by the off position of the neck and torso related to the pelvis.
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May 29, 2008
As promised more on the eye orbits of the scoliosis person.
Look closely at the picture below. Specifically at this young lady's eye orbits. You will see the left side higher than the right. You may also notice, her left pupil angle is closer to the nose than her right eye, or there is a slight inward ray of sight of the left eye.
A good similarity of understanding vision fields are car head light beams shining onto the road piercing through the dark night.