Through the use of fMRI, German researchers studied changes in spinal cord activity when individuals believed that they had been given an anesthetic rather than a placebo. They found that simply believing a pain treatment was effective actually dampened pain signaling in a region of their spinal cord, called the dorsal horn, suggesting a powerful biological mechanism was at work.

Traditionally, experts have viewed the effect of placebos as psychological, but the new research is the latest study to show evidence that there is an important physical component. The researchers found that the placebo effect is particularly strong when treating central nervous system conditions, like depression and pain.

For more on the researchers and their fascinating study, go to: reuters.com

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When the body is viewed from behind, a normal spine looks straight without much disparity from laterally.Scoliosis is a condition that is often associated with a lateral, or side-to-side, curvature of the spine.The disorder shouldn’t be confused with poor posture, even though it often gives the appearance that the individual is leaning to one side. Characterized by both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebra, this complicated deformity frequently produces a distinctive “rib hump” in the mid or thoracic spine. This is created by the vertebrae in the area of the major curve rotating toward the concavity and pushing their attached ribs posterior thereby creating the distinctive rib hump seen in thoracic scoliosis. If the thoracic curve and rib rotation are severe, exceeding 70 degrees, pulmonary and cardiac function can be obstructed. This degree of curve and subsequent cardiac and pulmonary changes are frequently seen later in life in untreated severe idiopathic infantile and juvenile scoliosis patients and, quite frequently, present a threat to life.

Anatomy

If a person were to look at the trunk from a side view, the spine would display four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. In the lower spine there is a healthy “C-shaped” curve called swayback or lordosis, while the thoracic curve in the chest region has a “reverse C” called a kyphosis. Hyperlordosis is the term used to describe elevated swayback, while increased kyphosis in the thoracic spine is called hyperkyphosis. Changes from normal that are visible from a side view frequently accompany scoliosis changes. Postural exercises can resolve some round back deformities that are simply due to poor posture. A small number of patients with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are coincidental with vertebral deformity. This class of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much harder to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.

Even a layman can help to identify a child or adult with scoliosis merely by observing the person in a standing position, preferably bare-chested and in briefs, and observing the following:

• One shoulder may be more elevated than the other.

• One scapula (shoulder blade) may be higher or more pronounced than the other.

• There may be more space between the arm and the body on one side when the arms hang loosely at the side.

• One hip may look to be raised or more pronounced than the other.

• The head is not centered over the pelvis.

• One side of the back appears higher than the other when the individual is analyzed from the rear and asked to bend forward until the the spine is horizontal.

The child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further assessment once scoliosis is detected. your chiropractor would be happy to help.

There are a variety of origins and many kinds of scoliosis, nevertheless the most prevalent, by far, is Idiopathic Scoliosis, which accounts for about 85 % of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is seen with equal prevalence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. This condition can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent types, contingent upon the age of onset. Idiopathic Scoliosis may be caused by genetic or hereditary influences as it commonly runs in families. For reasons yet to be found, girls are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves develop in size and require treatment. The most frequent time for the development of Idiopathic Scoliosis is during adolescence when children are completing the last major growth spurt. Unfortunately, at this age young people are hesitant to allow their body to be looked at by parents and other adults, so it is very important to have this age group examined on a regular basis.

If a scoliotic curve is found in the growing adolescent, it is crucial that the curves be monitored for change by periodic examination and from time to time standing X-rays. In ninety percent of conditions, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, however increases in spinal deformity demand evaluation to decide if a brace or other therapy is necessary. In a small number of people, surgical treatment may be required.~Surgery may be required for a small number of patients.

Brace treatment (orthosis) is recommended for both juvenile and adolescent children when an increase in their scoliosis or kyphosis is discovered, or when new conditions of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis are diagnosed. There are quite a few types of braces, all designed to prevent curves from increasing by acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Braces will not usually make the spine entirely straight, and cannot always keep a curve from increasing. Nevertheless, bracing is successful in preventing curve progression in a very large percentage of skeletally-immature adolescents.

Scoliosis has no simple resolution. Nearly all cases, even though regularly monitored, are not actively treated. The standard medical treatment for moderate instances is a brace, whereas severe conditions in some cases are treated surgically. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.

In addition to bracing, many other modalities have been used successfully such as specialized exercise, electric stimulation of spinal muscles, nutritional programs, and chiropractic treatments. It looks as if the best results have been maintained with a multi-faceted approach to the treatment of this condition.

There are chiropractors, that have excellent success treating scoliosis conditions.

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractor, scoliosis