Chiropractic Healthiness

Question:

BABY JEAN MORANO asks: >>><<<<Is there a way to lengthen her spine again and maybe add

some inches on her height?<<<< If she has scoliosis, the answer appears to be yes – even after the growth spurt – and without surgery… See below… >>><<<<My friend suffers from a spinal problem. Since

childhood, her posture is not good and she’s not sure whether she has scoliosis or lordosis. Whom should she consult, an orthopedic surgeon or a chiropractor?<<<< Roland R. Hicks replied: >>><<<<Chiropractor if you want conservative care, orthopedist

if you want surgery.<<<< http://www.remarq.com/read/14325/qAV2_vcicGmAC_EAO#LR Todd D. Gastaldo, DC remarks: This is a bit simplistic in my view. Neither rational patients nor rational MDs *want* surgery if the same outcome may be had without surgery… Then again, Alf Nachemson, MD had to remind orthopedic surgeons in 1996: "…[W]e should not use sharp instruments to attack the lumbar spine of our patients with low back pain. Instead, we should sharpen our indications and operate only where effectiveness and efficacy have been demonstrated…" [Nachemson AH. Lumbar disc disease with discogenic pain. Spine 1996;21(15):1835] Also there is this:  For years, MD orthopedists accused DCs quacks for using spinal manipulation for low back pain – as MD orthopedists "performed" many needless (sometimes fatal) lumbar fusion surgeries – "without a single prospective, randomized trial in the history of fusion for any back condition." [Nachemson AL. Newest knowledge of low back pain. Clin Orth Rel Res. (Jun)1992; 8-20] Then in 1994, a U.S. Public Health Service/AHCPR-sponsored panel of mostly MDs came to a conclusion that orthopedic surgeons did not like… See below… BABY JEAN MORANO says that her friend "noticed that her height has shrunk." BABY JEAN MORANO asks: >>><<<<Is there a way to lengthen her spine again and maybe add

some inches on her height?<<<< Todd D. Gastaldo, DC remarks further: If she has scoliosis, the answer appears to be yes – even after the growth spurt – and without surgery… As I noted in Prof. Fink/Scoliosis/Copes brace… Prof. Fink continues… >[Scoliosis] needs to be treated (with bracing) during >the "growth spurt", provided it is not too severe.

Gastaldo remarks: It appears that bracing (Copes) may help dramatically AFTER the growth spurt. Consider this excerpt of Marina Smerling’s Copes brace testimonial: "When I was 17, my orthopedic surgeon in Los Angeles threatened me with surgery, as my lumbar curve had grown to 45 degrees. I freaked, resolved not to have surgery, and never returned. I began to see chiropractors like mad…as far as I know…[they] did nothing for me. A year and a half later, still in pain, I went with hopes that I had been ‘healed’ to another orthopedist. My lumbar curve had grown to 55 degrees, and my thoracic was at 45. I went home crying, not knowing what to do. Part of the reason for me not wanting surgery was that I dance. I’m a dancer. Although one man has told me that he’s as flexible after the surgery as he was before, I wasn’t about to take any chances. I couldn’t and can’t fathom giving up dance. Ok. Age 19. I discover the Copes program on the Internet. Thank God and a half. January 97, Copes measures my curves at: lumbar 49, thoracic 35, and cervical 14. I enter the program. June 97: lumbar 42, thoracic 27, cervical 11 January 98: lumbar 36, thoracic 25, and cervical 14. June 98: lumbar 36, thoracic 21, cervical 5. http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Villa/5435/marina.html (Interestingly, in spite of poor results with chiropractic, Ms. Smerling says that she now sees a specific chiropractor twice a week… She gives his phone number at the above URL.) Prof. Fink continues… >Treating it early this way can often result in avoidance of >surgery.

Gastaldo remarks: It seems that it’s ALWAYS best to catch EVERYTHING early if at all possible. That’s why my focus is PREVENTION possibilities… In this latter regard, note Ms. Smerling’s comment: "Swimming REALLY [caps in original] does make a difference. It’s good, balanced exercise, and it takes the pressure off your back…." Prof. Fink, consider the fundamental human behavior called SQUATTING – most humans on the planet squat for hours per day in circumstances where Westerners must stand (in lines) or sit (in classrooms)…. Flat-footed squatting is a BALANCED posture – unlike chair- dwelling which has us causing chronic imminent gluteal tissue death (which is why we shift, says Guyton)… As we rob our children of this posture – as we sell them (when they become elderly) "ejection" chairs to help them stand up from chair level; we see that most elderly humans on the planet can rise from a full squat and walk away… We spend billions of dollars per MONTH warehousing our elderly – in part because of lack of mobility… It’s preposterous. See [snip]… July 31, 2000 update… See… The Pope ignores Gastaldo/Dorko disparages Kuhn/Dorko’s Dynamite (again) *YES* Virginia, MDs are lying and babies are dying (please help mothers and babies) END July 31, 2000 update. Prof. Fink continues… >Once the patient has reached full growth, it is too late; and >the late effects usually lead to big-time surgery.

Prof. Fink:  Here’s a woman who apparently was saved from surgery by the Milwaukie brace – then her curves began to progress again and she was advised to have surgery – but she opted for the Copes brace… "I wore a Milwaukee brace from age 12 to age 16 and had good results, but my curves began to progress again at age 31. My ortho surgeon recommended the surgery but I opted for the Copes brace…I have had great results so far." http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Villa/5435/age4.html Prof. Fink closes on a clever pejorative note… >Those who attempt to "treat" scoliosis with manipulation should >have their malpractice insurance paid up at all times.

Prof. Fink, MDs used to call spinal manipulation for acute low back problems "quackery." Now we know that the biggest quacks were the MDs who indiscriminately foisted back surgery and failed back surgeries onto patients with acute low back problems! At least one panel – composed mostly of MDs – has decided in effect that – a s MDs did MANY unnecessary surgeries – killed patients unnecessarily – as MDs called DCs quacks for treating acute low backs with spinal manipulation – spinal manipulation was in fact a safe and effective treatment for acute low back problems. (Public Health Service/AHCPR-sponsored, 1994) Prof. Fink, I am told that MDs are now being sued for failure to offer acute low back patients the option of spinal manipulation when obtaining informed consent… It may come to pass that MDs who fail to offer scoliosis patients the Copes option will be similarly sued. As indicated above, at least one Copes patient (see above) opts to see a DC twice per week… As also indicated above, this DC sincerely believes that many cases of scoliosis might easily be PREVENTED. Regarding spinal manipulation and scoliosis… Someday, there may be hard evidence that spinal manipulation retards progression of scoliosis and perhaps helps maintain corrections achieved using braces… Consider the following Pub Med abstract…asterisks******added… >>>><<<<<END excerpt of Prof. Fink/Scoliosis/Copes brace

See also: Birth Trauma/Scoliosis/Neural Organization Technique Todd D. Gastaldo, D.C. 8948 SW Barbur Blvd Box 6 Portland, OR 97219 FAX (815) 366-2814 TEL (503) 640-0456 http://www.egroups.com/group/chiro-list Got questions?  Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com

Response:

My friend suffers from a spinal problem. Since childhood, her posture is not good and she’s not sure whether she has scoliosis or lordosis. Whom should she consult, an orthopedic surgeon or a chiropractor? She noticed that her height has shrunk. Is there a way to lengthen her spine again and maybe add some inches on her height?

Response:

Chiropractor if you want conservative care, orthopedist if you want surgery. — Dr. Roland Hicks All good things come from above-down-inside-out. — Herbal Alternative to Celebrex/Vioxx: http://drhicks.joint-pain.com/ FREE Health and Wellness Newsletter: http://freelife.com/Sites/drhicks/redir.cfm?page=/info/welcome/wellne… e/body.cfm Toll Free 1(877) 791-8686 or (956) 718-1990 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> My friend suffers from a spinal problem. Since childhood, her posture is > not good and she’s not sure whether she has scoliosis or lordosis. > Whom should she consult, an orthopedic surgeon or a chiropractor? > She noticed that her height has shrunk. Is there a way to lengthen her > spine again and maybe add some inches on her height?

Response: