ADDING THIS METHOD OF CUPPING DECOMPRESSION AIDS IN THE TREATMENT OF SCOLIOSIS

Soft tissue manipulation has proven itself to be beneficial for scoliotic conditions, and vacuum manual therapy is providing a valuable missing link in treatment protocols.

Adding this method of decompression aids the tissue by releasing deep patterns that hold the bony structure in a forward or sideways twist associated with conditions such as hyperkyphosis, hyperlordosis and scoliosis.

Soft Tissue Memory

Neuromuscular function creates soft tissue memory from trauma, which could include trauma from an injury or repetitive movements. The three dimensional fascial system, as seen in “Strolling Under the Skin” by Jean-Claude Guimberteau, M.D., can also get stuck in position from the same causes.

The strands of fascia become tangled and dehydrated from inflammation, and vacuum decompression helps draw fluids into the area while it gently pulls the strands apart.

The Diaphragm

One of the most critical areas to address in working with spinal curvatures is the diaphragm. If all or part of the diaphragm is elevated, the surrounding structures have no choice but to accommodate the abnormality.

The diaphragm can be affected by so many life experiences, such as compression during birth, a multitude of other childhood injuries and illnesses, falls that “knocked the wind out” of the lungs, asthma or chronic bronchitis, pregnancy with a large child and even traumatic experiences such as car accidents or physical abuse.

One case that stands out for me is a young man who was beaten and robbed in his home. His spine had curved into the position he took to protect himself and would not release.

While it was a challenge to access his diaphragm, it proved to be the main cause of his dysfunction. Once it was released to return to its normal position, the upper body structures could revert as well.

Vacuum manual therapy makes the process of releasing the diaphragm so much easier, and if manual techniques such as massage therapy are added in, accessing the diaphragm is much more comfortable after the vacuum has been used to pull it down.

Hypertonic vs. Hypotonic Tissue

Once the diaphragm has been addressed, the next step is to release hypertonic tissue and strengthen hypotonic muscles. For most spinal curvatures, anterior and posterior muscle groups must be included to address all compensatory patterns.

Neck

For the anterior neck, use the vacuum cup to release the contracted sternocleidomastoid and platysma, with special attention to the clavicular attachments.

Use a smaller cup to soften scalenes. For the posterior neck, use a smaller cup and deeper vacuum pressure to tone splenius capitus and splenius cervicus, along with levator scapulae.

Anterior Torso

Release anterior deltoid and pectorals, especially the attachments along sternum. Then release serratus anterior, anterior intercostals, rectus abdominus and obliques from their locked and contracted positions.

Posterior Torso

Tone erector spinae, posterior intercostals, latissimus, serratus posterior, along with rhomboids, obliques, trapezius, levator scapula and posterior deltoid.

The vacuum cup may be parked over the belly or attachments of any weak muscle just before the muscle is activated to contract the tissue while it is elongated up in the cup.

Rotator Cuff Muscles

It is vital to address the forward rotation of the shoulders that occurs with most spinal curvature conditions. Assess restrictions and treat subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and the upper bicep to tone hypotonic and release hypertonic tissue.

Working with Rods, Plates and Cables

Many people have had corrective surgeries and appliances implanted after being diagnosed with scoliosis or other spinal curvature disorders, while others are told to simply live with the condition.

Vacuum manual therapy can help relieve soft tissue issues, and this gives appliances the ultimate opportunity to assist the structure to stay in place.

One very fascinating case presented itself recently, a young woman who has had multiple surgeries since late childhood that included implantation of Harrington rods, plates and cables. We began work on the diaphragm and lower intercostals, and discussion began about childhood injuries.

Due to her posture, I began work on the anterior torso and then moved up to release the anterior neck. As the session progressed to the posterior of the body, evidence of some kind of trauma showed itself in the clients’ shoulders and neck.

As it turned out, she had found out from her mother that she suffered a very serious fall down cement steps when she was 3 or 4 years old. She had basically fallen down the stairs on her head.

Patterns showed up in her tissue indicating compensatory patterns and restrictions. I followed them around her body with the vacuum cup. By the time her session was done, her shoulders were lying flat on the table and her posture had changed considerably. Now the appliances can work even better to keep her structure in place, and a series of treatments will be required to recondition the soft tissue.

The results in her first appointment were a great indication of the positive outcome from a customized treatment protocol.

Childhood Injuries

As seen in the case above, there can be a logical event in childhood that could begin the development of scoliosis, hyperkyphosis and hyperlordosis. Working with the extra-large cups and observing the tissue can offer big clues about the origin of dysfunction in the form of restrictions and discolorations.

These can clearly be seen through the vacuum cup as it is moved over the area, and restrictions look like large dents, while the discolorations can range from black, brown, yellow, gray, red and even green. All of this is old blood and other substances that became trapped at the site of injury.

The truly interesting part is helping the person being treated to remember what incident or activity could be showing itself in their tissues.

Childhood events such as falls in gymnastics and ballet, equestrian pastime injuries, car and bike accidents or even years of mucking out horse stalls can clearly show themselves in the restrictions and colors under the skin.

It is an amazing moment to realize that even experiences so long in the past can still have an effect on our current posture and movement.

Vacuum manual therapy provides a new window into assessment of spinal curvature conditions, as well as aiding in the release and re-patterning of the tissues to maintain optimal spinal health.

The addition of powerful micro-cup magnets into the treatments can also help produce positive results.

Effective Treatment

There is so much to learn about scoliosis and other spinal curvature disorders, and truly effective treatment incorporates a team of professionals that often includes medical doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, exercise physiologists and massage therapists.

Specific exercises, some of which involve a special “ladder” or even particular yoga movements that are designed to help support correction of curvatures, are also a big part of an effective treatment regimen.

About the Author

Anita Shannon has been licensed in massage therapy and cosmetology since 1983. An educator since 1990, she appears at national chiropractic, massage, and spa conventions and currently presents workshops on ACE Massage Cupping and MediCupping at international locations since developing these brands of bodywork in 2002. She has published multiple articles in Les Nouvelles Esthetiques, Massage Today, Massage & Bodywork and Massage Magazine and has created five educational videos on vacuum therapies. She was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2011.




Source : Massage Magazine , 21st Sep 2017 

Non-invasive scoliosis procedure gaining traction in U.S.

In the operating room at Shriners Hospital in Tampa, surgeon Joseph Khoury isn't using sharp instruments or rods.

Instead, he's straightening Maxine Payton's back with Mehta Casting, a non-invasive procedure to treat scoliosis. First described in Europe in the 1960's, the technique slowly began gaining traction here in the U.S. In the last ten years.

"Nothing can cure scoliosis except this. This can actually cure scoliosis in infants because casting is so much more powerful than bracing," said Dr. Khoury.

Maxine was put under anesthesia and suspended above the operating table. The team created molds by putting pressure on the top and bottom of the 3-year-old's spine.

"It's not just wrapping a cast around a child's body. There's a very specific way you have to push on the spine to get it to grow out of the curve," Dr. Khoury described.

Maxine's journey began more than two years ago, on Easter, when she was nine months old.  Her parents Jessica Votour and Robert Payton noticed something was off in a picture of her.

"We saw the rib hump and we saw her hip just kind of jutted in a little," said her mom, Jessica.

"You could see on the spine right in the middle, between the shoulder blades how like three or four of the vertebrae stuck straight out," added her dad, Robert.

An X-ray showed a 78-degree curve in her spine. It was so twisted, doctors weren't sure what they were seeing. Six Mehta Castings later, Dr. Khoury saw progress.

"This is the X-ray we took just before her last cast. It was 49 degrees, so her curve is getting smaller," he said.

It reduced the curve to 37 degrees. He hoped the next cast will reduce it even more. But as Maxine nears her fourth birthday, time may be running out. As her growth rate slows, so do the results, making early diagnosis critical.

"The magic is kids before the age of two are growing twice as fast as a teenager at their fastest," said Dr. Khoury.

For video , Pls visit at : http://www.fox13news.com/health/non-invasive-scoliosis-procedure-gaining-traction-in-us

A teenage girl went to Germany for a life-changing operation to straighten her spine

Emiah Ellis' friends and family raised the £30,000 she needed to make the trip


                         Emiah Ellis, 14, had an operation to straighten her spine

A teenage girl has undergone a life-changing operation in Germany to correct her spine - after £30,000 was raised.

Emiah Ellis, 14, of Brynna, was diagnosed with Scoliosis, a condition where the spine curves and twists, a few years ago.

But after the money was raised by family, friends and the local community, Emiah has been able to undergo the surgery and is now back at home recovering.




Emiah with Dr Trobisch in Germany

Mum Menna Garland-Ellis said the problem started when Emiah, who has always been very sporty, started getting hurt after practice on a regular basis.

“Two years ago she was in a swimming squad and into athletics, doing a lot of training, and every time she was coming home, she was complaining about a bad shoulder thinking she’d pulled a muscle,” Menna said.

“I took her to a physio, thinking you can’t pull a muscle every time, there must be something else going on. The physio said if you look, her shoulders aren’t in alignment and she had to be referred to hospital.

“They told us she had Scoliosis of the spine.”

Emiah was then faced with a choice – have an operation that could potentially restrict her movement or do nothing and stay in pain.

Emiah opted to have the life-changing pioneering operation, where instead of rods being placed in her back, and therefore restricting her movement, she would have nuts and bolts.

She underwent Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT), also known as fusionless surgery, which preserves flexibilty and growth by not stiffening the spine.

But in order to have the operation she had to travel to Germany to see Dr Trobisch and his team at the Eifelklinik clinic in Simmerath, and that would involve paying £30,000.



Emiah is now hoping to get back to being her sporty-self

As well as funds being raised by family, friends and the community, local company Persimmon Homes also gave a donation of £1,000 as part of their Community Champions campaign, which sees up to £60,000 handed out to good causes across the UK each month.

Menna said: “We were going down the route of having an operation where they put rods in your back but her curve is very low down, so they said it could affect her movement.

“In the meantime, I saw a story of another young girl from Haverfordwest on the news and I tracked her mother down and asked them what’s this operation all about? They went to America, so we went to Philadelphia first for a consultation in a charity-funded hospital but Emiah didn’t meet the criteria.

“We’d also just heard about this doctor who was under the same team in America but had returned to live in Germany and he was setting up a practice in Germany. So we went to see him and he told us that he thought he could do it, so she was booked in with him and had the operation on August 16.

“Instead of using rods, they don’t operate from the back, they operate from the sides and made two slits on her side, deflated her lung and inserted six screws placed on her spine and pull a thread through the nuts and bolts and when they pull it tighter, it pulls the spine in straight.

“But what that means is she can still bend, she’s still got her flexibilty.”

Now Emiah is back at home and has stunned the doctors with her impressive recovery.

Her mum said: “She was really positive. They kept commenting how brave and determined she was. She was walking up the stairs on the third day after her operation. They said they’ve never had somebody do so much so quick.

“She can’t do anything now while she’s healing and we have to wait for the scars to heal before she can go back to swimming. But she should be able to continue. It’s going to take a while to build up to the same levels she was at before, but she’s done really well.

“We had to raise a lot of money and this is a great help. It’s early days, but the operation will hopefully mean Emiah will keep her flexibility and live a normal everyday life.”


Source : Wales Online , 23rd Sep 2017 

Mum who took daughter to Germany for life-changing spinal surgery calls for treatment to be available on NHS

A Chessington mum who took her 15-year-old daughter to Germany for "life-changing" treatment is calling for the same surgery to be made available on the NHS.

Daniela Cavalli, of Lofthouse Place, noticed her daughter Stefania’s back looked abnormal in November 2016, and after a visit to the doctor discovered she had severe scoliosis and needed surgery.

She said: “We’d never even heard of scoliosis. It was quite a shock; I thought it would just need some exercises or a brace.

“She had been getting daily back aches, but we put it down to posture and being flat-footed. It had started to become really bad over the previous few months.

“Stef would go shopping with her friends, but she could only stay for an hour. She couldn’t even get on a bus; she would call me and ask for a lift.”

Until recently, St George’s Hospital in Tooting offered certain patients the option of vertebral body tethering (VBT), a relatively new procedure.

It involves screws being fixed along a cord in the patient’s back, and the operation is reversible in the case that it doesn’t work.

Mrs Cavalli said: “We had the option of fusion surgery, but that would have given her mobility issues. VBT is non-invasive – still horrendous, but much better.”

The family searched the internet for places to have the surgery, but could not afford the £180,000 it would have taken to have the double VBT operation to correct Stefania’s ‘S-curve’ in the US.

In July, Simon Cowell paid for Britain’s Got Talent finalist Julia Carlile, 15, to have the same operation to avoid fusion surgery that would have left her unable to dance again.

Eventually Stefania’s family found Dr Trobisch to operate on Stefania at Eifelklinik, Simmerath, Germany, and she went to have the procedure on July 12.

She is now making a quick recovery, and will be returning to Tolworth Girls School in September.

Mrs Cavalli said: “She could go back to full sports now, only four weeks on. She could be doing backflips after eight weeks. With fusion surgery, which would take a whole year to recover from, she would not be able to do half the things non-fusion surgery allows.

“We know we’ve taken a risk. The maturity of her spine was an issue; it works best on younger children whose spines are still growing, but there are other kids around the world who have had this operation and are absolutely fine.

“The biggest issue now is that it’s uncomfortable for her to sit on a chair for too long as a result of the surgery. Other than that, she’s doing really well.

“The surgery has been life-changing. Without an operation, she would have probably become wheelchair-bound.”

Now she wants to build momentum for VBT trials to resume in the UK, to allow other children the chance for the procedure their families might not be able to afford to take them abroad for.

“I want VBT to be available on the NHS, and I’m hoping more awareness can really move it forward.

“The NHS has been really supportive. The doctor at St George's said it was our decision and he has said he will do all our follow-up consultations. That has been a huge relief. But I think the surgery should be available here.”

A statement from the British Scoliosis Society said that although there have been positive early results for VBT, the technique needs to be introduced in a ‘controlled and responsible way’, and results should be monitored ‘for many years before any decision regarding wider adoption’.



Source : Surrey Comet , 11th August 2017 

Apollo Hospitals: Centre of clinical excellence

Two leading medical professionals from the group elaborate on Spine Surgery and the Liver and Multi-Organ Transplant programme

Apollo Hospitals, established in 1983 by Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, is India's first corporate hospital, and has emerged as Asia's foremost integrated healthcare services provider. It has a robust presence across the healthcare ecosystem, including hospitals, pharmacies, primary care and diagnostic clinics.

Two leading medical professionals from the group elaborate on Spine Surgery at group hospitals and the Liver and Multi-Organ Transplant programme at the Hyderabad hospital. Excerpts: Dr. Sajan K. Hegde, Chief Spine Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, Group

Technology changing spine surgery

Spine Surgery has evolved from being one of the most complex surgical interventions to a technology-based and enabled surgical procedure.We have pioneered minimally invasive spine surgery in India and this would mean, smaller incisions, less trauma to tissues, faster healing, less chances of infection and faster relief. It also adds to lesser hospital stay, less cost and of course quicker return to normal life.

Choosing an appropriate spine care centre

A patient or his/ her family has to look at the track record of the hospital, profile of the surgeon, technology at use and support services, while choosing an appropriate spine care centre. Add to this an adequate clinical bandwidth supported by cardiac anaesthetist, well qualified neuro physicians, advanced CT/MRI etc.

Robotics in spine surgery

The most commonly used robotics in spine surgery is Renaissance Robotic Guidance system; we have introduced the same in India. The next level will have interventional robotics. We do have Da Vince Robotics at Apollo, which we use in Onco surgeries, Uro etc., but however not in Spine.

Need to be aware of Scoliosis

Scoliosis shows up most often during growth spurts, usually when children are between 10 and 15 years old. About the same number of boys and girls are diagnosed with minor idiopathic scoliosis. But curves in girls are 10 times more likely to get worse and may need to be treated.

Spine care centre

We have established an advanced Institute of Spine Surgery, which is backed up by an eminent team. I have pioneered various spine interventions including the usage of shape memory alloy, first charite disc replacement, first mazor robotic spine surgery; our full-fledged rehab unit has robotic rehab equipment.

Dr Manish Verma, Consultant & Head of Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliary- Pancreatic Unit, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad

Liver and Multi-Organ Transplant programme at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad: Redefining Benchmarks in Transplantation

Apollo group has been the frontrunner in the field of organ transplantation in India. The transplant programme at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad started over two decades ago. In addition to being one of the oldest transplant programmes in the region, the hospital has been astute in adopting the most modern and up-to-date medical protocols, and has consistently remained abreast with the latest developmentsin medical science. Presently, transplantation of the Liver, Kidney, Heart, Lung, Pancreas, and Cornea are routinely performed at the hospital. With about 300 transplants performed in 2016, this is one of the high volume transplant centres of India.

Liver Transplant programme

The liver transplant programme is one of the most successful in the world. Live Donor Liver transplants are routinely performed with excellent outcomes, both for adults and children. A multidisciplinary team of doctors consisting of transplant surgeons, hepatologists, anesthesia and critical care specialists, infectious diseases specialists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, psychiatrists and psychologists take care of the patients.

The greatest achievement of the multi-organ transplant programme is the success of the liver transplant operations. With less than 5 per cent peri-operative mortality for live donor liver transplantation for patient with cirrhosis, this is one of the most successful liver transplant programmes of the world.

Our record in donor safety is impeccable with all our live donors getting discharged within 8-10 days of surgery. With least complication rates, re-exploration rates, short hospital stay, and long term survival, our centre, consistently outperforms others in terms of clinical parameters.

In addition to being a centre of clinical excellence, the liver transplant programme is a leader in research and innovation.

Source : Khaleej Times , 14th August 2017

Posture warning for children with head down in gadgets

More than 67 percent of children and youngsters have bad posture, with a quarter of them suffering from abnormally curved spine as more people play with smartphones and tablets from a young age.

Children Chiropractic Foundation interviewed 1,392 youths aged 16 or below from last September to this month, and found nearly 66 percent suffered from hunchback, 43 percent from unequal shoulder height, and 24 percent from scoliosis.

Chiropractor Jacky Chan Yat-sang, honorary adviser of the foundation, said hunchback and unequal shoulder height are common symptoms of spine problems.

"The spinal cord connects the brain to nerves throughout the body," Chan said.

"If the problems are not identified at an early stage, it could lead to bone spurs and other diseases."

A study by the Department of Health earlier this year found that children start using smartphones at one year old.

Chan said the way children stare at the phones increases the stress on their neck, as they usually drop their chins on to the chest. For example, the weight on the neck increases to 27 kilograms when the head is angled down to about 60 degrees.

He said the screen of electronic devices should be held at eye level to make sure the neck and spine are aligned.

Children who need to sit in front of the computer for a long time or over 45 minutes should make sure they sit upright with their back and shoulders against the back of the chair. The feet should also be placed comfortably on the floor to avoid leaning forward, which would lead to hunchback.

Lam, a father of two, said he did not notice his children had mild scoliosis until he took them for a check-up by chiropractors. "I noticed that they have poor sitting posture, but my kids never complained to me about any unusual pain, so I wasn't aware of the problem," he said.

People with scoliosis have a spine that curves to the side, showing an "S" or a "C" instead of a straight line, Chan said.

Very often, cases of scoliosis go unnoticed as pain is rarely involved at the beginning. Parents should check by eye for the symptoms of unequal shoulder height and hunchback by asking their children to stand straight. They should also take their children to scoliosis screening every six months, so that early referral to specialists can be made, Chan added.

Source : The Standard , 21st August 2017

Vineland girl holds garage sale for SickKids hospital

It was a big day for 11-year-old Victoria Bridger.

Victoria Bridger, 11, held a garage sale and BBQ as a fundraiser for SickKids Hospital, where she recieved a life-changing surgery to ease pressure from her spinal cord. 

The driveway of her family home in Vineland was lined with furniture, knick-knacks, hockey skates and lamps.

Her brother milled about the goods, picking up an old fire extinguisher, laughing.

Her dad dipped freshly steamed cobs of corn into a jar of butter, serving them to a number of families that came out to the garage sale that Victoria organized.

It was a family affair — after recovering from an intensive surgery at SickKids hospital this year, Victoria decided to give back by holding a fundraiser.

With the help of her mum, dad and brother, Victoria put a slew of items out for sale, and held a barbecue alongside.

“Victoria was diagnosed with a congenital birth defect in November,” said her mother, Maria Bridger. “The base of her skull was too small.”

Victoria was diagnosed with a condition called Chiari decompression malformation, which put pressure on her spinal cord, resulting in scoliosis.

She was getting frequent headaches, and within weeks, her parents noticed a distinct difference in the curvature of her spine.

Doctors at SickKids hospital performed a surgery on Victoria to ease the pressure and she spent a few weeks there recovering.

Source : Niagarathisweek , 21st August 2017