Karen’s next encounter with scoliosis treatment.
Well, some nine months later she developed a shooting pain down the back of her right knee and leg. Karen underwent an MRI to rule out any possible tumor or congenital problems that may cause the scoliosis pain.
Her scoliosis specialist said that she was fine and did not see any possible bone, disc, or tumor problems. Karen had express bouts of depression, not sleeping, and could not concentrate on her college course work.
Her scoliosis specialist changed medications and referred her to a psychologist. The X-ray revealed progression of her scoliosis, but still not bad enough to support scoliosis surgery.
Continue reading "Scoliosis Questions Part 20...The Good, Bad and Ugly" »
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July 3, 2008
Karen scoliosis surgery was routine, with posterior instrumentation and she gained 19 degrees correction of the initial 42 degrees curve deformity. Karen stayed in the hospital for a week and was taken home.
Her recuperation was slow and some six months later she was feeling about 75% back to her old self. She was dealing with the leg pain, plus new surgical spinal and hip pain.
One has to ask, is it good to wait and see?
Does scoliosis pain and curve problems magically resolve on their own or does scoliosis continue to mount.
Continue reading "Scoliosis Questions Part 21...The Good, Bad and Ugly" »
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July 8, 2008
Back to Karen’s scoliosis care...
One year after her scoliosis surgery her pain continued increase and the medication did little to stop her suffering. She was only sleeping two to three hours a night if any, lost weight and body size, plus had suicidal depression.
She was developing flat back scoliosis syndromes according to her scoliosis specialist. This was agreed upon only after Karen presented this information from the internet. To Karen’s surprise, the scoliosis curve progressed back some additional eight degrees.
The scoliosis specialist said that was normal and she may have to undergo reconstructive scoliosis surgery again.
What went wrong in Karen’s case?
Continue reading "Scoliosis Questions: Part 22 The Good, Bad, and Ugly" »
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July 10, 2008
In my last writings I stated that “The National average of scoliosis surgery is three times in one’s life span”. Are you wondering why?
Well… the father of modern scoliosis surgery, Dr. Paul Harrington, stated in 1963, “Metal does not cure the disease of scoliosis”, he further stated, that "scoliosis is a disease involving much more than the spinal column."
Now… with this powerful understanding and wisdom, scoliosis surgery only fuses the vertebral bones into a better more straight position. It does not correct the spinal alignment or disease to 100%, (0 degrees), nor does scoliosis surgery correct the muscle imbalance, rib and shoulder deformities, the neurological righting reflex (the body’s balancing mechanism).
Can scoliosis surgery treatment truly claim to be corrective surgery? Or maybe just plainly stated “spinal fusion”, which is the correct term and not mis leading?
Continue reading "Scoliosis Questions: The Good, Bad and Ugly Part 23" »
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July 15, 2008
Many of you have bombarded me recently with the same familiar scoliosis treatment question. Why has my doctor been so secretive about my scoliosis treatment?
It’s so hard to get straight forward information about anything...… The same usual comment all’s OK and… “Just a little scoliosis curve advancement”, we cannot predict what may happen. Then the next appointment, “out of the blue”, serious overwhelming and shocking news, "You must have a major spinal rod surgery now and if you don't, many problems will occur to your spine, spinal cord, lungs and organs."
You are shocked, scared and asking yourself, "WHY NOW? Nothing has changed with my body, it’s been the same ever since I’ve started seeing him. No headaches, spinal pain, what’s up? I feel like I’ve been short changed and kept in the dark."
Now, what does one do for your scoliosis?
Continue reading "Scoliosis Question: The Good, Bad and Ugly Part 24" »
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July 18, 2008
Scoliosis is defined as a three-dimensional deformity of the spine with lateral curvature and vertebral rotation — also hips and shoulders are not level. Remember though, this only describes the mal-positions of the bones as compared to a normal body.
What is the significance?
Well…the curvature of the spine is a symptom of the disease… NOT the disease itself.
After you feel the depth of my previous statement, you realize idiopathic scoliosis treatment should be at the cellular level from the start.
Sadly, the common "gold standard" of scoliosis treatment is “Wait and See.”
Using this "gold standard" treatment, when the scoliosis curve horrifically progresses, surgery is done to prop up the spine with invasive instruments at a given degree of distortion. Usually by this point the scoliosis curvature has exceeded 42 degrees or more in deformity.
What if the same approach was taken with diabetes?
Continue reading "Scoliosis Questions: The Good, Bad and Ugly Part 25" »
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July 22, 2008
Yes, the gold standard of scoliosis treatment is to watch the curve progress. Yes, x-ray every six months or so until the scoliosis curve reaches 42 degrees or above.
Why?
There were several orthopedic studies performed some 30 to 40 years ago. The scoliosis research information found that the neurological system of a scoliosis person could not overcome a mechanical lateral and rotational spinal deformity of 42 degrees or above.
This means that a "safe zone" of surgery was established and fusion of the spine was seen as the proper method of helping the scoliosis patient from future cosmetic, and organ system problems.
Is this a multifactorial approach to a multifactorial disease… scoliosis?
We Take Fear and Worry Out of Scoliosis.
Dr. Art Copes
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July 24, 2008
The vast knowledge gained in scoliosis research has proven that the disease of scoliosis is multifactorial.
Simply put, the disease of scoliosis involves several different factors of curve progression. I totally and strongly agree that idiopathic scoliosis is multifactorial.
It only stands to reason that the approach of scoliosis treatment should address the many found problems of scoliosis. These problems consist of bone growth (vertebral bodies), par vertebral muscles (back muscles), metabolic and chemical cellular changes of collagen fibers (disk and ligaments), hormonal (endocrine), digestive (small intestine), central nervous system (ocular/vestibular), and neurotransmitters.
I pose two questions to you…
Continue reading "Scoliosis Questions The Good, Bad and Ugly: Part 27" »
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