Did you know idiopathic scoliosis was first described as a “serpent like disease of the spine” by the Greeks over 3,500 years ago? Fortunately, the “science of scoliosis” has come a long way since then but seems to have plateaued at some point back in the 1970s and 1980s. However, recent breakthroughs in the fundamental nature of idiopathic scoliosis have spurred on new and innovative progress into a more in-depth understanding of the condition.
Idiopathic scoliosis is primarily a neuro-hormonal condition that creates a spinal curvature as its primary symptom.
While the above statement may sound a little complex, it is simply stating that scoliosis is a whole lot more than just a spinal curve.
Genetic Pre-Disposition
It probably will not come as a shock to virtually anyone with scoliosis that it tends to run in families. This is because the most recent genetic variant testing research, published by ScoliSMART Labs, has revealed a number of “markers” that may leave a patient genetically pre-disposed to develop idiopathic scoliosis. Often these genetic markers are used to guide highly specific clinical labs testing, uncovering the hidden metabolic problems that are believed to cause idiopathic scoliosis itself!
Neurotransmitter Imbalances
Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in your brain that allow your body and brain to communicate with each other.
Unsurprisingly, patients who develop an idiopathic-scoliosis-related spinal curvature during periods of rapid growth have a brain-body communication problem, but did you know recently published research from the doctors at ScoliSMART has discovered several neurotransmitter imbalance patterns suspected to lead to the curve getting worse?
The testing consists of a simple urine test by mail and treatment generally requires only organic plant-based proteins and specific amino acids.
Bone Density and Mass
Loss of bone density and mass in adults with idiopathic scoliosis, particularly pre- and post-menopause (removal of estrogen) is a major contributor of degenerative scoliosis progression. This occurs because not only is the bone density lost, the bone structure the calcium attaches to breaks down as well.
The ScoliSMART team has partnered with a USA-based compounding laboratory to develop a bone metabolism test and scoliosis-specific nutrient therapy designed to rebuild bone density and bone mass. Click here to learn more.
Hormone Balance
Given 7 out of 10 scoliosis patients are female and idiopathic scoliosis usually occurs in coordination with estrogen-related growth spurts, it should come as no shock that the estrogen-progesterone balance has become an important focus of research within ScoliSMART Labs.
Often coupled with the genomic variant and bone health testing, estrogen, DHEA, and progesterone levels help create a more complete clinical picture for adolescent and adult female patients. Managing and rebalancing these hormone levels can have a positive effect on coordination of growth, normalizing normal monthly cycles and maintaining healthy bone density post-menopause.
Surgical Hardware Testing
Unfortunately, surgical intervention is still a fact of life for 7–10% of patients diagnosed with scoliosis. Newer surgical hardware devices like Vertebral Body Tethering, Anterior Scoliosis Correction, and ApiFix offer alternative interventions to scoliosis fusion surgery and require far less hardware; however, most scoliosis patients will still opt for the traditional double rod and screw surgical hardware used since the early 1980s.
While many patients will initially make a full recovery after surgery and live symptom-free for years, eventually metal-on-metal contact at the junction points of the hardware and fatigue stress of the metal begins to release metal debris into the patient’s system, resulting in widespread and difficult-to-diagnose symptoms that include fatigue, headaches, joint pain, muscle pain, depression, skin rashes, and mood changes. While the presence of increased metal circulation within one’s body is not an absolute indication for the removal of surgical hardware, these patients should consider an ongoing chelation and allergy management protocol for the remainder of their lives.
The Future of Scoliosis Treatment
Until recently, the treatment of scoliosis had largely focused on solely the spinal curvature “symptom” of the condition. With the advent of genomic variant testing, neurotransmitter pattern identification, maintaining bone health throughout the patient’s lifespan, and proper hormone balance, patients are now able to pursue an entirely new approach and opportunity to treat more than must the curved spine seen on x-rays.
