The human spine is a medical marvel of sorts, which is not only responsible for helping us to move or lift things, but to bare our body weight, and preserve a normal body alignment. It’s impossible to exist without a spine. Scoliosis is defined as the curvature of the spine and although it isn’t specifically considered a disease, it is very serious complication resulting from a multitude of different symptoms with no definite known cause. Fortunately, with the passing of time, and development of new technologies doctors are now treating this debilitating condition in numerous ways. We will explore the different technologies caregivers are currently using to fix this malformation using studies and articles written by doctors treating this condition themselves. We will also discuss the dilemmas that doctors face in delivering these new tools and skills to correct a sometimes life-threatening deformity.
Introduction
The spine is one of the most integral parts of our bodies. Not only does it house the components of our central nervous system (i.e. the spinal cord), protects vital internal organs, but it also helps to support our movements and other daily functions. The spine holds us upright and provides the framework for our entire bodies. Since it plays such an important role, damage or deformities in this area are not to be taken lightly. Scoliosis is defined as side-to-side spinal curvature (“What is scoliosis? 2011), and it affects between 3-5 people out of every 1,000. It can have vast implications on every day life including, back pain, and in more serious cases, lung function.
Not much is really know about the cause of scoliosis, but much is being done to attack it. 80% of all scoliosis cases affect children between the ...
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Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis." Western Journal of Medicine 148.2 (1988): November 3, 2011,182-191. Web.
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Per AME report dated 05/02/12 by Dr. Perelman, the IW is P & S 8-12 months post injury. Future medical care includes orthopedic evaluations, PT, chiropractic care, and acupuncture to the cervical spine. The patient underwent a cervical ESI at C5-6 per procedure report dated 02/10/12 with no benefit.
Saris, S. (2011). Patient Guide to Minimally Invasive Lumbar Microdiscectomy. Retrieved 10 19, 2011, from Neurosurgery Associates: Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts: http://neurosurgery-associated.com/min.htm
Journal of chiropractic medicine. Volume 11, Issue 1:58-63. Papa J. 2012. The. Conservative management of lumbar compression fracture in an osteoporotic patient: a case report.
What is scoliosis? Scoliosis is a musculoskeletal disorder that causes the back to curve sideways like and “S” or a “C” and cause the body to lean to one side. Scoliosis can eventually if not looked into and not treated colid with your bodily organs like your heart, lungs, and kidneys. This can cause you to slump down into a hump and cause it hard to breath and do physical activity.
Tests after tests including MRI’s, X-rays, and experimental procedures were performed to show I had five ruptured disks in the lower lumbar section of my back. Tedious Examination done by a group of doctors concluded I had a crippling disease of the spinal column called spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that causes compression of the spinal cord. (Lohr,1) If this disease was ignored any longer, it would lead to many other problems affecting other areas of my back to help support this weakness. It was an extremely rare case for an athlete my age.
• The use of ceiling lift systems has been shown to decrease spine forces experienced by caregivers during patient handling in one laboratory-based study.
Chiropractic care helps keep the body healthy and working properly and promotes homeostasis by keeping the spinal column in alignment. There are many nerves in the spinal column which are directly related to the organ systems and functions of the body. When the spinal nerves become compressed through a subluxation many ill affects throughout the body can occur. Keeping the back aligned though chiropractic care will greatly improve one’s overall health and well-being.
"Chapter 37." Operative Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery. Ed. Sam Wiesel. 4th ed. Vol. 2. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2011. eBook.
Gravity is a natural force that compresses the spine (and joints) over time. It’s one of the effects of gravity. Inversion therapy isn’t magic, but is science. The idea behind in this kind of therapy relates to counteracting these effects of gravity. Inversion therapy is known to reduce muscle tension and it lengthens the spine. Essentially, it provides the appropriate
Orthopedic surgeons are responsible for mending and operating on the musculoskeletal system. “Orthopedics is a medical specialty that focuses on the diagnosis, care, and treatment of patients with disorders of the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and skin” (Career in Orthopaedics). Depending on the damage the patient has sustained determines how the orthopedic surgeon is able to correct the patient’s injury. In many cases there are multiple ways of correcting the patient’s injury such as; using medical, physical, and rehabilitative techniques to using complex surgical methods. “Typically, as much as 50 percent of the orthopedic surgeon’s practice is devoted to no surgical or medical management of injuries or disease and 50 percent to surgical management” (Career in Orthopaedics). The majority of surgeons, including orthopedic surgeons, prefer to choose the least invasive procedures such as; arthroscopy which is a technological advancement allowing orthopedic surgeons to use special cameras in order to diagnose and treat a joint with minimal cutting and trauma to...
"The Tommy John Surgery: A Look into What It Is and How It's Done." Examiner.com. Web. 27 May 2014. .
The concept that pain means injury or damage is deeply embedded in the American consciousness. “I have never seen a patient with pain in the neck, shoulders, back or buttocks who didn’t believe that the pain was due to an injury, a “hurt” brought on by some physical activity.” Says Dr. John E. Sarno, M.D. “The pain started after I lifted my little girl” or “Ten years ago I was involved in a hit- from- behind auto accident and I have had recurrent back pain ever since.” Of course, if the pain starts while one is engaged in a physical activity it’s difficult not to attribute the pain to the activity. “But this pervasive concept of the vulnerability of the back, of ease of injury, is nothing less than a medical catastrophe for the American public, which now has an army of semidisabled men and women whose lives are significantly restricted by the fear of doing further damage or bringing on the dreaded pain again” (qtd. in “Healing Back Pain”). With good intentions, this idea has been encouraged by the medical profession and other healers for years. It has been assumed that neck, shoulder, back and buttock pain is due to injury or disease of the spine and associated structures and ligaments surrounding these structures- without scientific validation of these diagnostic concepts. “On the other hand,” States Dr. Sarno, “I have had gratifying success in the treatment of these disorders for seventeen years based on a very different diagnosis. It has been my observation that the majority of these pain syndromes are the result of a condition in the muscles, nerves, tendons and ligaments brought on by tension.”
Weiner, S.S. & Nordin, M. (2010). Prevention and management of chronic back pain. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 24, 267-279. http://dx.doi:10.1016/j.berh.2009.12.001
Scoliosis is a progressive disease. In its early stages a mild rotation and rib deformity is detected. As it progresses more vertebrae rotate, causing the ribs to crowd together on one side of the chest and to spread apart on the opposite side. The disease is usually first identified in persons 10 to 17 years old. Most cases occur in girls and become apparent during the rapid growth phase of puberty. Conditions also include shoulder unleveling, waistline discrepancies, acute headaches, shortness of breath, rib hump, chronic fatigue, and mood swings.