Clear Institute Newsletter January 2007

Scoliosis: a Real Pain in the Neck?

For people living with scoliosis, headaches can be a common complaint. Although the causes of headaches are varied, our research into how the neck can influence the development of scoliosis has offered some insight into one possibility why people suffering from scoliosis may also experience headaches on a more frequent basis.

Doctors of chiropractic trained by CLEAR Institute are taught how to take specific & precise rays of the neck. One of these x-ray views is taken for a very specific reason: to determine if the first cervical vertebra, called the atlas, has rotated off from center. It's no coincidence that this bone is called the atlas; it is perhaps the most important vertebra in the spine, and can influence how the force of gravity is distributed throughout the entire spinal column. In clinical observations, it is not uncommon to observe extreme amounts of atlas rotation in scoliosis patients - sometimes as high as eleven degrees!

This is significant because a very important muscle attaches to the atlas, called the RCPM, or Rectus Capitis Posterior Minor. The other end of this muscle attaches to the base of the skull, and as the atlas rotates away from where it should be, this muscle is pulled tight, eventually going into spasm. When this happens, blood vessels that supply the scalp become pinched, and this constriction & the resulting decrease in blood flow may lead to headaches. Connective tissues also link the RCPM to the dura mater, which is the covering that surrounds the brain & spinal cord, much like a sock. Ever put your sock on too tight and hurt your toes? Spasms of the RCPM muscle may have this same effect upon your brain! Furthermore, according to a study published in the scientific journal JMPT on October 1999, important spinal nerves also branch off in this area that have the potential to cause headaches: "Anatomic structures innervated [supplied] by cervical nerves C1-C3 have the potential to cause headache pain." (A proposed etiology of cervicogenic headache, Alix & Bates).

Only chiropractors are trained to correct the rotation of the atlas that may be causing your headaches. Drugs that mask the symptoms (known as NSAIDs, or Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, such as Aspirin) are responsible for killing approximately 36,500 people every year, according to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1999. This same prestigious publication has also stated that the #1 cause of liver failure in America is acetomenophen (Tylenol, Vicadin, etc) - taking one Tylenol every day for 3 years virtually guarantees that your liver will fail. On September 1st, 2005, an article in Hypertension found that regular use of Tylenol also causes high blood pressure. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute published a study that linked prolonged use of Ibuprofen to a 51% increase in breast cancer rates. Please do not underestimate the dangers of non-prescription medications simply because they are common and readily available - see a chiropractor today!

The Posture of Least Resistance

When rain falls on the sides of a mountain, it's easy to predict the path it will follow: down to the valley! Our bodies react to gravity in much the same way.

Every day, we spend a large amount of our energy on simply staying upright and functioning in a weight-bearing environment. Since birth, our bodies (and spines) have learned how to adapt to gravity in the most practical and efficient manner possible. We develop postural patterns that our brains rely upon to conserve as much energy as possible, while still providing maximum stability & mobility. However, this same trait of adaptation which serves us so well can also work against us, as in when our brains & core muscles begin to develop bad postural habits!

As an example, imagine a person living with scoliosis, whose spine curves to the right in the upper back, and compensates to the left in the low back. This posture leads to a discrepancy in the height of the shoulders and hips - typically the right shoulder and hip will be noticeably higher, and shifted slightly forward as well. The left hip will be shifted slightly back and downwards. In this posture, the body will begin to distribute the force of gravity unevenly; most of the weight will be borne on the left leg. In a resting stance, the left leg will be behind the body, and the right leg in front, with the knee bent slightly. This leads to increased wear & tear on the hip, knee, and ankle joints of the left leg, and strains the muscles found on the right side of the lower back.

By recognizing and identifying this bad postural habit, though, it is possible to consciously work to change it! Our brains, which control our postural muscles subconsciously, still respond to active re-training. If you find that one of your hips is lower than the other, and you are placing more weight upon that respective leg, make a conscious effort to stand with your opposite leg behind you, bearing more weight. You will notice it may seem strange & uncomfortable at first! Similarily, try to avoid crossing your legs while sitting - typically, your unconscious instinct will be to cross the leg that has shifted forward to lie on top of the other, which has shifted backward; this reinforces the bad postural habit. Also, avoid keeping a thick wallet in your back pocket on the side of your high, forward hip while seated.

This postural re-education tip can be applied to the shoulders as well. If your left shoulder is noticeably higher than your right, it might not be a good idea to rest your arm by the window while driving, or wear your purse on the left shoulder (assuming it weights less than 5 pounds). Heavy weights borne on the shoulder, such as a gym bag or small child, will cause the body to react lower, at the level of the hips. If your right hip is high, try to carry heavy weights on the left side of your body, rather than your right.

Our Apologies

To those of you who noticed the absence of the February newsletter, please accept our sincere apologies! Technical problems delayed its release - specifically, an ESTO error (Equipment Smarter Than Operator) otherwise known as an ID-ten-T error (spell it out, you'll get it!), and so the decision was made to delay its release and combine the content of both last month's and this month's newsletters. In the future, we will strive to deliver our newsletters in a more consistent & timely fashion.

Thanks again for reading; please feel free to send any questions or comments to care@clear-institute.com. We greatly appreciate your feedback!

"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give."

-Kahlil Gibran


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