spinecor

[sportsdoc]

Why would any part of Canadian health system be free for non-residents? It works the other way, I have a penpal that got treatments she received in US paid for by the canadian health system.. maybe you confused that?

I'm all up for no-cost/low-cost healthcare. I should move to Canada and obtain legal residency My medical bills this year so far has added upto over 15k.. Thank goodness for insurance..

no..you got it all wrong..i didn't send american patient up there lol..
I had an inquiry from canada regarding spinecor...

well..cost aside, it's best for the patient anyway...she should be going to the closest provider possible..

[green m&m]

no..you got it all wrong..i didn't send american patient up there lol..
I had an inquiry from canada regarding spinecor...

well..cost aside, it's best for the patient anyway...she should be going to the closest provider possible..

OOps.. lol. I easily get confused b/c I pay attention to the wrong detail..

[cherylplinder]

Melissa,
We have rotten, expensive insurance. They don't pay for anything that is covered, and the deny coverage on all the rest!
I am cheerfully going medically broke! Well............ maybe not always cheerfully!
But my dad always says if all you have is money problems, you don't have any problems. He always says that!
One of my favorite sayings! I always helps me.

Celia,
Yes, I called Erie directly, and applied over the phone. They were great!

Hugs,
Cheryl

[sportsdoc]

I really don't get our healthcare...
the reimbursement is dwindling and premium is rising...
so doctors lose money and employers and self insurers pay higher premium..
yet, the benefit seems to be dwindling at rapid pace..
So people are paying more for less benefit while doctors are providing more service for less reimbursement..

Where's all the money going? With 80% of premium going to administrative cost (along with investor's pocket and $200 million salary for CEO's) I'd think even the most beaurocratic government would be more efficient than that..

and insurance industry is keep complaining they are losing money but their stocks skyrocket..and government just wants to help poor insurance companies out...

We've got some seriously corrupt system...at this point, i'd welcome even social system like canada...no..universal health care lol...

The funny thing is, people don't complain about insurance company. They hate the greedy doctors who charge too much and their employers who ask for more contribution and cutting health benefits..

The whole health care system in america is paradox after paradox...

[green m&m]

Agree with you there sports doc.

I vaguely remember on cnn.com months back that a huge percentage of healthcare cost could be cut if we cut down on paperwork...

[Celia]

It's amazing to me that the richest most powerful country in the world can't provide universal health care for it's people. I think it's just a matter of priorities and where elected officials decide to put tax dollars...

On a lighter note Gerbo mentioned this article to me the other day and I thought I'd pass it along to others. I plan to go to the medical library today and read it.

Pediatr Rehabil. 2003 Jul-Dec;6(3-4):171-82. Related Articles, Links


The use of exercises in the treatment of scoliosis: an evidence-based critical review of the literature.

Hawes MC.

Department of Plant Pathology, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, USA. mhawes@u.arizona.edu

The loss of flexibility in a spinal curvature defines it as a structural spinal deformity; a curvature sufficiently mobile to resolve with a change in posture is a non-structural or 'functional' scoliosis which is within the normal limits of movement for a human spine. It, therefore, seems logical that exercise-based therapies designed to improve and/or maintain flexibility and range of motion of the spine and thorax would be useful in the treatment of scoliosis. Recognition of the importance of maintaining flexibility of the thoracic spinal column to avoid scoliosis-associated pulmonary dysfunction made the use of exercise-based therapies a topic of clinical interest in ancient Greece. In recent years, successful prevention of polio epidemics has resulted in a stable change in patient populations such that most individuals diagnosed with scoliosis do not suffer from irreversible central nervous system compromise. As a result, realistic opportunities to examine the role of exercise in treatment of scoliosis are available for the first time in history. A growing body of evidence from independent sources is consistent with the hypothesis that exercise-based approaches can be used effectively to reverse the signs and symptoms of spinal deformity and to prevent progression in children and adults.

Publication Types:
Review

PMID: 14713583 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

[Celia]

I've read this before. Do you have a CV on this guy Hawes???

What's a C.V ? When I first saw "Plant Pathology", I thought....WHAT ?!!! The article IS in a Physio journal of some sort, so I assume it's in the medical library ? Here is a link to another article by Hawes:

http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/reprint/120/2/672

[Celia]

Do you have a CV on this guy Hawes???

Oh... you mean a Curriculum Vitae ? Sorry, I'm a little slow this morning I assume he/she is a PHD

[cherylplinder]

Sportsdoc,
I read an article Karen Ocker posted in the research thread about congenital contracture in the hip. Rachel has something odd about her leg and hip. I noticed it about the time I noticed something wrong with her back. The orthopedic completely dismissed it.
How would I know if this is what is happening with Rachel? Could this be addressed with PT?
Thanks,
Cheryl

[Karen Ocker]

Hawes

I just read the article. I understand fully the medical lingo. It was published in the Journal - Chest.

M. Hawes, Phd is a member of the dept of Plant Pathology,
University of Arizona, Tucson.

I think this is great that a person's CHEST with 43 deg curve, middle aged could be helped. This took 8 YEARS of intensive treatment and her curve remained severe-she also had thoracic and lumbar curves which impact breathing more than a single or double curve. She also had pectus excavatum which is sunken chest on the front. I'm wondering if the pectus excavatum was helped even more because this affects chest circumference. What must she do to maintain this? Even though the article stated she was offered surgery she is probably not a candidate unless progressing. The article said her curve was stable.

I am wondering how practical is this not to mention insurance issues.

[cherylplinder]

Holy Cow!

I asked Rachel to walk for me, so I could check which foot was rotated. ( I am right, left challenged. Can't even remember which of my own hands are right and left without checking) She has walked funny for a few years because of this, but our first ortho completely dimissed it several years ago. I didn't think to mention it again in Erie or Montreal.

Anyway, her foot has stopped doing that. It was probably turned at a 30 to 45 degree angle, not since birth, just the last few years. It appears to be corrected by the Spinecor brace. I hadn't checked and didn't notice!

When I told her what I was checking for, and that I didn't see it anymore, she said,"Yeah! I know!" We were both excited. I don't see how that could be anything but good.

Her walk is normal now, her shoulders are much more even, and she is pain free.

Even if this brace does not correct her curve, it makes her able to function as a normal child. She was very incapacitated by her back. She didn't play long before it hurt her. She couldn't practice piano for more that about 10 minutes at a time. The only bonus for her was that the pain made it more difficult for her to do chores.

[sportsdoc]

vaguely remember on cnn.com months back that a huge percentage of healthcare cost could be cut if we cut down on paperwork...

that reminds me...what insurance company did was to hire and train more adjusters in order to cut back on care, denying claims...some of the reasons are just ridiculous..

so us providers have to hire professional billers or outsource to company that charges arms and legs that fights these kinds of denials...and we have to hire better biller and pay more...it's never ending cycle...

Cost of billers to providers? they are paid much more than regular medical assistants due to special training and stress level, WC insurance, benefits, taxes that goes along with higher pay roll..I think average clinics (small) have 2 billers)

you'd be amazed at the level of paperwork we are required to do...for every patient contact hour, we need to spend 2 on papers..while managed care cuts reimbursements..

You know..any jobs increase the salary as time progresses...in healthcare, pay has been getting smaller while requiring more work for each patients...no wonder the quality of care is really suffering..

did you see an article on CNN the other day? we have the second lowest infant survival rate among developed countries...we are 3 times more likely to have our infants die within 24 hours of birth compared to Japan..

the next president I vote for will be based on their healthcare reform issue..
this ridiculous trend has to stop...

[sportsdoc]

Holy Cow!

I asked Rachel to walk for me, so I could check which foot was rotated. ( I am right, left challenged. Can't even remember which of my own hands are right and left without checking) She has walked funny for a few years because of this, but our first ortho completely dimissed it several years ago. I didn't think to mention it again in Erie or Montreal.

Anyway, her foot has stopped doing that. It was probably turned at a 30 to 45 degree angle, not since birth, just the last few years. It appears to be corrected by the Spinecor brace. I hadn't checked and didn't notice!

When I told her what I was checking for, and that I didn't see it anymore, she said,"Yeah! I know!" We were both excited. I don't see how that could be anything but good.

Her walk is normal now, her shoulders are much more even, and she is pain free.

Even if this brace does not correct her curve, it makes her able to function as a normal child. She was very incapacitated by her back. She didn't play long before it hurt her. She couldn't practice piano for more that about 10 minutes at a time. The only bonus for her was that the pain made it more difficult for her to do chores.

I think there are some theories that even abnormal gait could be the cause of scoliosis...I kinda have hard time believing that..but it seems to be one of the constants for scoliosis patients...

[green m&m]

I think there are some theories that even abnormal gait could be the cause of scoliosis...I kinda have hard time believing that..but it seems to be one of the constants for scoliosis patients...

Chicken or egg first...

Was (abnormal gait, wedged vetebrae, leg length discrpency, ect) the cause of or secondary to scoliosis? I think about these time to time... and end up running my thoughts around in a circle. *dizzy O_o* At least I know my wedged vetebraes aren't secondary to scoliosis..

did you see an article on CNN the other day? we have the second lowest infant survival rate among developed countries...we are 3 times more likely to have our infants die within 24 hours of birth compared to Japan..

Read that... pretty shocking.

[cherylplinder]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........Yeah, I was thinking that if correcting her spine(hopefully that is what is happening) is correcting her hip and leg problems, maybe her spine caused her hip and leg problems. Maybe we are correcting muscle imbalance and not spine. Maybe both. Must be all interelated!(That is the kind of statement people say "Duh" to.)