Quackery
There are definitely a great deal of theories and thoughts let's say about how to deal to Scoliosis from a chiropractors point of view. I dealt with debilitating back problems for 6 years then had my youngest son by C-Section. I could barely walk post pregnancy I was in so much pain and decided to go to a chiropractor. This was a big step for me because they had always been recommended in the past for various reasons and I had always been scared of going. We sat and had a face to face consult, he examined me, x-rays, I heat therapy, he did a very mild adjustment with the a tool, followed by ice and stim. After, he said, "I'd like to show you your x-rays." I followed him into his x-ray room. He said nothing. He just stood there. When they say a picture is worth a thousand words there are no truer words spoken. I stood there and teared up. I felt like I was 11 years old again. He said, "I can't CURE your Scoliosis. I can't STOP the progression of your Scoliosis. What I can help you with is your pain and help you get moving and exercising again. My pain was so bad I could barely get off the table and walk. I would have to get up and stand there for 3-4 minutes before I could walk because my would collapse in on itself. I met with him 4 days a week for a year. I did not tell him that I had made the decision to have surgery until 2 or 3 months prior to. He of course was upset and felt that he as a doctor had failed me as his patient which of course wasn't true. My pre-surgery x-rays showed a 5 degree improvement in my curve. More than likely this was due to the improvement in all the muscle massage that also did. What my surgeon told my husband after my surgery was that had I not spent the year with the chiropractor and committed all that time and effort with him, he never would have been able to get such an excellent correction on my spine. My Scoliosis was a lumbar curve which tend to be very stiff curves as we grow older. I came out looking straight as can be rather than just having rods put in to stop the progression. You can bet I was pretty darn happy with by my surgeon and my chiropractor! I went back to visit my chiropractor to let him know what my surgeon had said which was a few months later and it made him feel pretty darn good. All those months it had weighed pretty heavily that he had failed me when in fact he is a huge factor in my success. There are many great chiropractors out there and many great massage therapists as well. I guess I was blessed to have both. Once I have my next follow up with the surgeons over at the naval hospital I'm getting referred out and to my original surgeon who is still in the area and starting back up with my chiropractor to get back on track. He worked on my neck a few years ago, approximately 7-8 months after my surgery, due to the straightening of my spine causing a curve in my neck and causing migraines. He used his activator tool, no twisting adjustments! I wish everyone could be in such good hands!!!!
Susan
Diagnosed at 10, Boston brace from 11-13 yrs old.
50* Lumbar w/ 5 centimeter shift to the left and slight rib hump...
Surgery Date: April 15 and April 22, 2009
X-LIF approach for disc repair L5,L4,L3,L2
Posterior Approach for fusions L5-T5
Dr. Fox @ Naval Medical Center Portsmouth
Nice and straight now!!!!!