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…

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

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?

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?

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?

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?

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.

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.

Back to Karen’s trials and tribulations;

Additional 24 months of time went by, now the pain had reached a point of where Karen had to reduce or eliminate her walking time, riding in a car, swimming, and class room sitting, and dancing.

She went back to the Scoliosis Specialist. She was placed on pain medication, muscle relaxers, posterior spinal injections and pain management therapy.

She was told the scoliosis curve was not curved enough to do “Scoliosis Surgery”. Karen was told once again, that the “pain level” did not match her “scoliosis curve size”.

Can you imagine being told that you are making up the pain and it’s in your head, it’s not the scoliosis?

Once again thanks for the comments. A young mother from mid west US asked me?... What’s so bad about the “Wait and See, Surgery scoliosis treatment” that she and her daughter was told to do.

I know that you heard of... “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound cure.”

Let me tell you a real scoliosis story that started some 9 years ago…

A young lady, Ms. Karen, 14 years old, had her routine physical by her family physician, guess what was discovered, you bet… “Scoliosis”.

She was then seen by an Orthopedic Scoliosis Specialist some 3 hours from her home town. He stated that the curve was not bad enough to do anything, translation the curve was not bad enough to perform surgery, and we will wait and see.

She was instructed that her scoliosis was idiopathic and the origin was unknown. No scoliosis prevention or education was given to her or her parents.

One of our international scoliosis subscribers of Keyboard Culture asks, "Why doesn’t my doctor perform more tests other than X-rays on me?"

What a beautiful question!

Let me share a little tidbit here... Doctors’ scoliosis training will vary from school to school, hospital to hospital, state to state and even country to country.

Their depth of scoliosis treatment action is based on physiology views. Another surprising fact is that the scoliosis treatment protocol will be different from doctor to doctor in the same office.

The “good, bad, and ugly”,… there is no set standard scoliosis treatment protocol, surgical or non surgical, only guide lines. Herein lies the problem for the scoliosis patient. The patient must arm themselves with the best and latest knowledge of scoliosis treatment, as to choose the right scoliosis treatment.

The “Good”, is that the scoliosis parents or scoliosis patients can become pro-active through easy access material on scoliosis of non surgical scoliosis blogs and web sites, like this one.

In my last post I answered two of the more common questions I get asked concerning scoliosis. In today's post I would like to address two more.

The next most asked questions I get asked are “How come I never get the same answer from the doctors about my scoliosis?” and, “How come doctors seem so secretive about scoliosis?”

Once again I have to say that it is very hard to give a diagnosis of a scoliosis curve change without performing several tests. You need more than just standard spinal X-rays.

No matter how old you are the adrenal glands should be evaluated and the thyroid and para thyroid should be looked into. In addition other systems of the body should be examined such as; immune tests like the SIgA, the digestive system and eye, ear, hand coordination tests.

Scoliosis can be understood very well with proper obtained information. To get this information you need proper testing.

Scoliosis will progress thoughout a person’s life, with or without surgery. Yes scoliosis curves will progress after surgery. The rate of scoliosis curve progression is the big question.

You may want to reference the orthopedics journals of Pub Med. This information may shock you.

We Take Fear and Worry Out of Scoliosis.

Dr. Art Copes

Thanks for all of your inquiries.

Recently I have received many questions concerning scoliosis pain and for those asking the question, why their doctors do not understand the depth of scoliosis.

These are two very good questions on scoliosis.

Pain in scoliosis can develop in many areas. Pain in scoliosis can develop in the large side muscles of the torso (back), in the small of the back, in between the shoulder blades, the neck and even in the jaw and teeth. Headaches are very common, frontal as well as in the back of the head. Even eye pains in the morning and early evening. Many patients experience stomach pain, pain extending down the front right side, even pain in the kidney area. In addition, a scoliosis person could feel leg and knee pain.

Yes this is due to your scoliosis.

To keep this very simple, scoliosis is a degenerative process. As the spine collapses (fall and twists) pressure and tension is placed on the spinal cord of the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is in control of many systems and organs.

As you have read, we revealed some very interesting components of scoliosis during the last few weeks. If these components are not recognized, especially in the first office visit, the scoliosis curve will progress, there’s no two ways about it.

Please remember that scoliosis is a complex problem and cannot be taken lightly with "come back in six months wait and see" attitude.

To help insure scoliosis curve stabilization, one must address the different components of the neurological problem.

Surprisingly, one of the symptoms (the balancing mechanism) of the scoliosis neurological problem can be addressed at home.

Is there a large scientific wonder here?

No, not really , as the scoliosis curve progress, the head angle increases. These changes are due to the head always seeking to be centered over the pelvis and the eyes are seeking the most correct position to the horizon. The forces evolved here are what causes the changes in the skull structure of the scoliosis person.

In the first few degrees of scoliosis curvature (10 or less) very, very small changes occur. As the scoliosis curve increases and the torque of the spinal column increase beyond 10 degrees, noticeable chances occur in the angles of the hairs inside of the semi-circle.