The management and treatment of children diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis has historically been and continues to be dictated (or at minimum heavily influenced) by the orthopedic surgeons not just in the US, but worldwide. The orthopedic actual treatment scope and specialty focuses almost exclusively on the advancement of surgical techniques and outcomes in the United States but treatment focus can vary greatly in other countries within the orthopedic specialist communities where there is specific focus on the advancement and outcomes of rigid spinal orthotics, otherwise known as scoliosis braces.
“Scoliosis is going to crush her lungs!” is the great fear of every mother of a child with scoliosis as they stare at an x-ray with the spinal curvature intruding into what appear to be the patient’s lung fields.
Adult patients fear this for themselves, as well.
The concern is certainly genuine and real, but is it scientifically accurate? We hope to expose the truth behind this pressing question, as well as explore other possible causes of severe shortness of breath if you or your child have scoliosis.
Surgical intervention for idiopathic scoliosis dates all the way back to 1865 (France) and resulted in one of the first medical malpractice cases (which later paved the way for the concept of evidence-based medicine). From its controversial beginnings, the discussion has continued on through the decades as newer surgical techniques and hardware became available — with the Harrington rods in the 1960s through the mid 1980s, and the Cortel-Dubousset (C-D) hooks and rods instrumentation as its current predecessor.
Posted in Scoliosis in Adults, Scoliosis Surgery
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Believe it or not, in this day and age of advanced technology and information, “Should I use ice or heat for my scoliosis pain?” is still one of the most common questions our ScoliSMART doctors are asked by their patients. One of the reasons for this is because patients tend to lump all “pain” symptoms into one category, when in fact treating acute pain (recent and short term) and chronic pain (long term and constant) with ice and heat are very different.
Surgical intervention is the greatest fear of parents and patients suffering from the scoliosis condition and should always be a last resort after all non-conservative approaches have been exhausted. Recently, a robust interest in fusionless scoliosis surgery has encouraged progress in the development of a variety of new surgical approaches, innovation, and devices.
Did you know idiopathic scoliosis was first described as a “serpent like disease of the spine” by the Greeks over 3,500 years ago? Fortunately, the “science of scoliosis” has come a long way since then but seems to have plateaued at some point back in the 1970s and 1980s. However, recent breakthroughs in the fundamental nature of idiopathic scoliosis have spurred on new and innovative progress into a more in-depth understanding of the condition.
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For decades, bracing and spinal fusion have been only treatment option for scoliosis; however, as a growing body of research sheds new light on this complex condition, patients are increasingly looking for and choosing less invasive options.
Massage therapy, in particular, has gained attention for its ability to reduce the chronic back pain that is sometimes associated with scoliosis. A skilled massage therapist “can use a combination of massage strokes, sustained pressure, positioning, and stretches to help balance the muscles of the back and body” and temporarily alleviate scoliosis symptoms, says massage therapist Jeanne Troncao.
As a teenager, she spent five years in back braces trying to reduce her scoliosis curve. But as soon as the brace came off, the curve started progressing again – growing 10 degrees over the next six years.
By age 25, her curve measured 47 degrees — just shy of the high-risk waterline for rapid progression. To prevent the need for surgery, doctors put her on a regimen of scoliosis exercises and measured her progress over the next several months.
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Since the times of the Ancient Greeks, scoliosis has been viewed primarily as a spinal deformity. Because it has been viewed this way for so long, all of the treatments that have ever been created for it are all orthopedic, mechanical, or physical in nature. These efforts are, metaphorically, attempts to put the “toothpaste back into the tube” rather than proactive early stage identification of at-risk patients and preventative intervention.
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In today’s world of insurance-driven health care, face time with the actual doctor is becoming more and more limited, and time to ask questions — let alone get an answer — is practically non-existent. It is no wonder the idiopathic scoliosis condition is wrought with confusion and misinformation. While the list of misconceptions regarding idiopathic scoliosis is likely endless, below are six the ScoliSMART doctors feel are important enough to be called out.