SOS leads to miracle for Sarah

A WOMAN has told how an exercise routine helped her to fulfil her dream of becoming a mother, after her life was turned upside down due to suffering from scoliosis.




                                Sarah and Katie

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Sarah Newton, 36, saw her life crumble just over 18 months ago after she started to suffer from agonising pain, due to the severe deformity which causes the spine to excessively curve sideways.

From being an energetic and healthy woman, Sarah’s confidence dropped as the pain left her unable to take part in many of her usual social activities, and she often spent time curled up in bed due to the agony.

She began to avoid contact with friends and relatives and wore huge baggy jumpers to avoid her distorted back from being visible.

To compound her suffering, Sarah, of Cowley Hill, was told she needed a 12-hour operation to fuse her spine solid, with it being unlikely she would have full flexibility in her back again.

“It was soul destroying being told that the only option was to have surgery especially after I had spent so long just being monitored,” says Sarah, who was first diagnosed with scoliosis aged 14.

“It made me very frustrated and angry and I was often left in tears. I felt helpless and I had no idea which way to turn, it really was a scary time and I cannot count how many hours sleep I lost over the whole thing.”

The news meant Sarah would had to put her dream of having a baby on hold, as she was horrified to learn the weight of an unborn baby may have caused the scoliosis to increase.However, during a desperate search for information, Sarah came across scoliosis SOS.com, the website of a London-based clinic, offering ScolioGold method treatment, which is a combination of non-surgical treatments.

During treatment, Sarah learned a set of exercises to strengthen the muscles round her spine, and her condition stabilised with huge improvements made in her cosmetic appearance.

And with the relief of no longer needing surgery and her confidence increased, Sarah was able to take back control of her life.

She wasted no time in having a baby and is now the happy mother of 11-month-old daughter Katie. And Sarah puts this down to the exercise programme.

“No words can describe the relief I felt when my pain started to disappear. I feel so lucky to have found the answer to my problems.

“My daughter is my world and every time I look at her, she reminds me why I did not give up and why I pushed so hard to get myself back to health.” 

Source : Stehlenstar , 5th Jan 2014 

Teenager with severely curved spine is now pain free after shunning drastic surgery in favour of exercises

Heidi Griffins, 15, was diagnosed with scoliosis three years ago

Doctors recommended she have surgery to place rods in her spine

Because of the risks of the surgery she decided to take part in a four week exercise programme in London instead - she is now free of pain



A teenager with severe curvature of the spine has improved dramatically despite being told she might never stand up straight again.

Heidi Griffins, 15, was diagnosed with scoliosis three years ago after her P.E. teacher noticed her shoulder was sticking out on one side.


The keen tennis player was diagnosed with a severe curvature of the spine and surgery was recommended as the only option to help her recover.

Heidi Griffins was diagnosed with severe curvature of the spine - or scoliosis - three years ago and was told she would need major spinal surgery to place metal rods in her back

Had she opted for surgery she would have had metal rods inserted into her back, before having her spine fused.


But frustrated with the lack of options and terrified of what the future could hold for her daughter, Heidi’s mother, Clare, investigated alternative treatments, before eventually discovering the Scoliosis SOS clinic in London.


Set up more than seven years ago by Erika Maude, a former scoliosis patient, the clinic has helped hundreds of sufferers through the problem by teaching them exercises which improve their posture.

The exercises vary depending on the severity of the condition.


Within a week of starting an intensive four-week treatment course, Heidi started to notice a difference, with less pain across her back and an improvement in her breathing capacity.
Heidi, from Durham, said: ‘When I was told that I had scoliosis, I didn’t really understand to start with.


‘No one ever sat me down and explained what was going on in my back until I got to the SOS clinic.

Instead of the operation, Heidi opted to take part in a four week exercise programme in London and she is now pain free and able to return to playing tennis

‘The staff at the SOS clinic were amazing, they made me feel normal again.


‘They also encouraged me to carry on living a normal life when all of the specialists at the hospital were telling me that I needed to be careful and not put too much pressure on my body by doing too much sport.



‘The exercises weren’t hard - you just had to think about what you were doing.


‘I am the sort of person to put 100 per cent into everything I do and I believe that’s why I got such good results. I cannot wait to get back to playing tennis.’


Heidi, together with her family are now working to raise awareness of scoliosis and the alternatives to surgery.


Source : Mail Online , 2nd Jan 2014

Guidelines for Scoliosis Treatment

Scoliosis is a lateral (toward the side) curvature in the normally straight vertical line of the spine. When a person with scoliosis is viewed from the front or back, the spine appears to be curved. When diagnosed with this condition, individuals should take scoliosis treatment into account. There are some guidelines for scoliosis treatment and patients should know about them.

The scoliosis treatments are various and the decision to begin treatment is always made on individual basis. Some factors will be considered.

    

1.Sex. When the curve is mild, the possibility of scoliosis progressing further is almost the same as boys. But if it is moderate or severe, girls have a much higher risk of progression than do boys.


    2. Severity of curve. Larger curves are more likely to worsen with time. Mild scoliosis carries a significant risk of progression (up to 22%). Once the scoliosis passes 20°, risk of progression more than triples to 68%. Severe Scoliosis carries a 90% risk of progression. It is an important factor during the decision of scoliosis treatment.


    3. Curve pattern. There are two main types of curve pattern, S-shaped and C-shaped. S-shaped curves tend to worsen more often than do C-shaped curves.


    4. Location of curve. Generally speaking curves located in the center section of the spine worsen more often than do curves in the upper or lower sections of the spine, that is cervical segment and lumbar vertebrae.


    5. Maturity. If the patients’ bones are mature, the risk of curve progression is lower than adolescents. That’s why brace is often advised for adolescent scoliosis instead of adult scoliosis.
    

6. Age. The earlier patients diagnosed with scoliosis first, the more likely scoliosis develops.


After analyzing the likely of scoliosis progressing further, patients would have an idea of their curves. Actually adolescents should have treatment as early as possible as it may progress. They can think about physiotherapy even the curve is over 40 degrees for some physiotherapy is effective. Adults often take scoliosis surgery, but if the curve is small and it develops very slowly, they may not need to take scoliosis treatment.



Source : NON  SURGICAL SCOLIOSIS , 2nd Jan 2013