Solving the Mystery of Aging: Longevity Gene Makes Hydra Immortal and Humans Grow Older

ScienceDaily (Nov. 13, 2012) — Why do we get older? When do we die and why? Is there a life without aging? For centuries, science has been fascinated by these questions. Now researchers from Kiel (Germany) have examined why the polyp Hydra is immortal -- and unexpectedly discovered a link to aging in humans.

Chiropractic vs. Medical Management of Scoliosis: Let's Look at the Numbers

By Mark Studin, DC, FASBE(C), DAAPM, DAAMLP

For more than 100 years, chiropractors have been treating adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. Both myself and my colleagues, current and former, have realized and reported within the profession remarkable and often dramatic positive results.

But only recently has the viability of chiropractic treatment for scoliosis been documented through research and reported in the indexed medical literature.

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that occurs most often during the growth spurt just before puberty. While scoliosis can be caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause of most scoliosis is unknown. Most cases of scoliosis are mild, but severe scoliosis can be disabling. An especially severe spinal curve can reduce the amount of space within the chest, making it difficult for the lungs to function properly. Children who have mild scoliosis are monitored closely, usually with X-rays, to see if the curve is getting worse. In many cases, no treatment is necessary. Some children will need to wear a brace to stop the curve from worsening. Others may need surgery to straighten severe cases of scoliosis."¹

Three-dimensional lateral curvatures of the spine affect 2-3 percent of the adolescent population.²Utilizing 2000 U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the number of adolescents in the United States is 41,747,962. If 2.5 percent of all adolescents have scoliosis based on the 2-3 percent estimate, this equates to 1,043,699 (1.04 million) children facing issues as a result of scoliosis.³ Yet keep in mind that "only 10% of adolescents diagnosed with scoliosis have curve progression requiring medical intervention."⁴

Lou, et al., state: "Brace (orthotic) treatment is recommended for growing children with curves of 25-45 [degrees] Cobb angle. Surgery is the final treatment option for curves greater than 45° and its goals are to obtain safe correction, to produce a solid spinal fusion of the curve region, and to bring the spine and body into a more balanced position."²However, they conclude, "Although brace treatment for scoliosis has been used for more than fifty years, its effectiveness is still debatable. ... Most studies used the amount of curve progression (as measured by the Cobb angle) to determine the effectiveness of brace treatment. Some defined success as 5° or less curve progression."²

Bracing in adolescent males had unsuccessful results in 76 percent of the cases, with 46 percent requiring surgery for idiopathic scoliosis.² The overall surgical rate for failed bracing was 23 percent when used as a treatment for idiopathic scoliosis.⁶ "A retrospective review of 16,536 individual costs and charges, including overall reimbursements, for 125 consecutive patients who were managed surgically for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis by three different surgeons between 2006 and 2007.... The mean age of the patients was 15.2 years." Costs ranged from $29,995 to $33,652, averaging $31,832.50 per case.⁷

The total number of hospital discharges in 2009 for idiopathic scoliosis for children under 18 years of age was 6,709. However, the estimated number of children undergoing spinal fusion was 38,000, with 85 percent being a result of idiopathic scoliosis. That means the total number of children being operated on is 32,300, with a national price tag of more than $1 billion ($1,028,189,750).

Scoliosis bracing is estimated to be used for 30,000 children. If we take the same statistic of 85 percent for idiopathic scoliosis, the approximate number of children braced for idiopathic scoliosis is 25,500. According to MG Labs, a prosthetic and orthotic lab in New York, the national average cost of a thoracolumbosacral orthosis is $2,100. That places the national cost for bracing at over $53 million ($53,550,000).

The estimated number of physician visits for scoliosis is 600,000.⁹ Again, if we take the 85 percent statistic for idiopathic scoliosis, the number of physician visits is 510,000. Omitting X-rays, MRIs and other required services for scoliosis, the average cost for a doctor's visit is conservatively $100, averaging both primary and specialist care. This would be for a range of E&M codes for initial visits including 99203-99204 and 99205. The national price tag is thus $51 million. (Note: For this review, we aren't considering the negative sequellae of radiation exposure for tracking the scoliosis as the adolescent matures.)

While allopathic medicine is still entrenched in the debatable practice of bracing and eventual surgery with the inevitable progression of scoliosis, there are proven solutions. A 2011 study concluded that as a result of chiropractic spinal adjusting and chiropractic spinal manipulation, a thoracolumbar curvature (scoliosis) averaged a 17.2° reduction that was maintained for 24 months, the length of the study. Across all spinal groups, an average 10° reduction persisted for 24 months, again the length of the study. It was also concluded that pain scales reduced by 60 percent at 24 months and function improved by 70 percent, while respiratory capacity increased by 7 percent.¹⁰

The real issue is that if adolescents have their curvatures reduced by between 10° and 17.2°, then a significant amount of bracing and surgery will no longer be an option because it will not be indicated. As bracing has been deemed questionable in the literature and now the literature reflects chiropractic as a highly effective modality, the standard of care across professions should be chiropractic care for scoliosis as the first-line treatment option and should be standardized in every discipline.

Considering the overall national cost of idiopathic scoliosis of $1,132,739,750 ($1.13 billion), excluding imaging studies and the research results on chiropractic care, the conclusion is that as a society our money can be better spent while simultaneously helping our children. The question remains, "Will politics and prejudice or facts rule the day?"

References

1. Scoliosis: Definition. The Mayo Clinic, 2009.
2. Lou E, Hill D, Hedden D, Mahood J, Moreau M, Raso J. An objective measurement of brace usage for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Medical Engineering and Physics, 2010;33(3):290-294.
3. ACT for Youth Center of Excellence. U.S. Teen Demographics, 2011.
4. Lenssinck M, Frijlink AC, Berger MY, Bierma-Zeinstra SM, Verkerk K, Verhagen AP. Effect of bracing and other conservative interventions in the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents: a systematic review of clinical trials. Physical Therapy,2005;85(12):1329-1339.
5. Karol LA. Effectiveness of bracing in male patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Spine, 2001;26(18):2001-2005.
6. Dolan LA, Weinstein SL. Surgical rates after observation and bracing for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: an evidence-based review. Spine, 2007;32(19S):S91-S100.
7. Kamerlink JR, Quirno M, Auerbach JC, Milby AH, Windsor L, Dean L, Lonner BS. Hospital cost analysis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis correction surgery in 125 consecutive cases. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 2010;92 (5:1097-1104.
8. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. 2009 Hospital Stays for Children Only - Principal Only.
9. National Scoliosis Foundation. Information and Support.
10. Morningstar M. Outcomes for adult scoliosis patients receiving chiropractic rehabilitation: a 24-month retrospective analysis. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 2011;10(3):179-184.

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Dr. Mark Studin is a 1981 graduate of New York Chiropractic College. He is the co-founder and former executive director of the New York Chiropractic Council. Currently, he is president of CMCS Management. Contact Dr. Studin with questions and comments regarding this article at drmarks380@aol.com .

Vitamin D: Possible cure for baldness?

Researchers investigating what causes hair follicles to go dormant are helping lead us toward a potential cure for baldness.

Current treatments for baldness prevent further hair loss but don’t actually increase hair growth. Several research teams are working to uncover ways to “wake up” existing dormant hair follicles. Scientists are finding that vitamin D and vitamin D receptors are crucial to continuing hair growth.

Typical hair growth follows a cycle. Hair follicles produce hair for two to six years before the hair falls out after which the follicles lie dormant for a short period. After a few weeks to a few months a new hair emerges. Sometimes the hair follicles permanently stay “asleep”, resulting in baldness.

Research so far has been encouraging. Dr Kotaro Yoshimura and colleagues at the University of Tokyo studied rats and found more stem cells became hair follicles when vitamin D was used in the final phase of growing the cells, when compared with those not treated with vitamin D. They also found that more of the follicles eventually produced hair, suggesting a potential role for vitamin D in hair transplants.

The key is the vitamin D receptor, not vitamin D alone. The receptor activates hair growth, so the next step will be to focus on activating the vitamin D receptor to possibly initiate hair growth.

Dr Yoshimura and colleagues are currently planning a clinical trial which will investigate new hair transplantation techniques involving their recent vitamin D research.

To read the full story click here.

Source:

The Wall Street Journal. The search for a baldness cure. September 2012.

CadenceMed Announces Top Ten Chiropractic Facebook Pages of 2012

After reviewing countless Facebook pages, we have identified our Top Ten Chiropractic Facebook Pages for 2012. These Facebook pages have unique strengths that deserve special recognition, so instead of ranking them #1 through #10, we decided it would be best to simply pinpoint what they do best.

So without further adieu, here are the chiropractic Facebook pages that we “Like” the most and why. Learn, share and enjoy!

Best Status Updates
BodyWise Chiropractic

What we like
Unlike most businesses on Facebook, these guys are rarely pushing their products and services. Instead, they are posting content that is thought-provoking, funny, educational and graphical. The end result? A large and engaged community of fans.

Most Likes
Goodlettsville Chiropractic Clinic

What we like
Isn’t it obvious? We like their “Likes.” Although the number of Likes a page has can be a vanity metric (what really matters when it comes to investing time and money on social media is if you are able to generate business, improve patient outcomes or increase patient satisfaction), it can be a decent indicator that the business is doing something correct. With over 23,000 Likes and status updates that fans are positively responding to, these guys appear to be doing more than just racking up a high Like number.

Best Design
Live Well Chiropractic and Lifestyle

What we like
This Louisville chiropractor just opened up shop earlier in the year, but he is making a splash with his practice’s attractive website and growing Facebook page. The combination of their aesthetically-pleasing profile picture and personal Timeline Banner image evokes a professional and emotional first impression.

Best YouTube Integration
Executive Express Chiropractic

What we like
Facebook Timeline Tabs often go underutilized, but not in this case. The team at Executive Express Chiropractic are integrating YouTube with their Facebook page in a wonderful way: by presenting patient testimonials. Third-party social proof is one of the most effective ways for an individual or business to validate the quality of its products and services. Video testimonials are among the most potent forms of social proof because they are more personal than written or audio testimonials; nice work!

Best E-Commerce Integration
Dr. Kevin Lau

What we like
Dr. Kevin Lau is the author of a number of books on scoliosis. He gives his Facebook visitors the opportunity to buy products right from his Facebook page. All his visitors need to do is visit his “Online Store” tab, which is powered by Amazon.

Best Engagement
Belleville Chiropractic practice: LiveWell Wellness Centers

What we like
Probably the best sign of a healthy Facebook business presence is a highly engaged fan-base. Few chiropractic practices do a better job at posting content that gets their contacts “Liking,” commenting and sharing as well as LiveWell Wellness Centers do on their Facebook page. As of posting this article, 1,178 people were talking about LiveWell Wellness Centers – now that is what we call a thriving community of fans!

Best Use of Facebook Tabs
Maui Spa & Wellness Center

What we like
We like how these folks are using their Facebook tabs to share more information about their spa, services and upcoming events. It makes a strong first impression and answers most of the key questions a prospective patient might have.

Best Patient Education
Portland Chiropractic Neurology

What we like
Pay special attention to their page’s “Patient Resources” tab. It is chocked full of rich information about health disorders that their prospective or existing patients would likely find interesting and valuable. The layout of the information – with a header, a short passage of content and then a “Learn More” button is brilliant. This provides a Facebook visitor with just enough information to become interested before referring them where most practices really want their traffic to go: their websites.

So that’s it: our ten favorite chiropractic Facebook pages? Do you agree? Disagree? Share with us on Twitter or Facebook.

Also, don’t forget to subscribe below. Next week we will be announcing our Top Ten Dental Facebook Pages of 2012!

To the health of your practice and its patients,
The CadenceMed Team

Exercises for scoliosis in teens

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a rare (2% to 3% of the general population) spinal deformity affecting young people aged 10 through the end of the growth period. The deformity may continue into adulthood. AIS is characterised by one or more three-dimensional spinal curves. Disability, cosmetic deformity, pain, activity limitation, quality of life issues, breathing problems and the possibility of the scoliosis remaining with the person into and throughout adulthood are commonly associated with this condition. The cause of AIS is unknown.

Treatment for AIS varies according to the degree of severity of the curves. Just the same, exercise is almost always a part of the treatment plan. In milder cases, exercise may be the main treatment, and in more severe cases it may serve as an adjunct. In the UK and the US, physical therapy for scoliosis consists mainly of general strengthening and stretching exercises, along with exercise protocols with which the treating therapist is familiar. There is a corresponding feeling among practitioners in these geographical locations that physical therapy for scoliosis is not effective.

Scoliosis specific exercises (SSEs) are individualised exercises aimed at reducing the deformity. SSEs are taught in clinics that specialize in scoliosis. The exercises work by changing the soft tissue that affects the spine. SSEs are also thought to work by altering control of spinal movement. There are no known side effects or risks to using SSEs .

The purpose of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of SSEs in reducing curve progression and postponing or avoiding invasive treatment such as surgery in adolescents with AIS. Two studies involving 154 patients total were included. The review found no evidences for or against SSE. The two included studies yielded very low quality evidence that SSEs added to other treatments are more effective than electrical stimulation, traction and posture training for avoiding curve progression, and that SSEs as a standalone treatment yield almost the same results as general physiotherapy.

Possible limitations of this review included the small number of studies that met the inclusion criteria and a high risk of bias, particularly selection bias. More randomised controlled trials are needed in this area, along with a deeper understanding of the types of SSEs useful for the adolescent with AIS.

Comment from Dr. Kevin Lau: I have seen time and time again that therapies that merely focus on the physical deformity and imbalance to be ineffective... Treating scoliosis at its source involves diet and lifestyle changes which can affect how genes are expressed. For more info read my book.

Scoliosis sufferer writes for latest Chicken Soup

By Judy WakefieldStaff Writer

With an enormous, plastic back brace strapped around her torso, covering everything from just under her breasts to above her thighs, this 11-year-old Andover girl sought refuge from what she remembers as feelings of humiliation.

"The Andover Bookstore is where I went, where I would escape to," said Alyson Gerber, who was especially thrilled when the children's author Barbara Cooney visited and signed her book "Hattie and the Wild Waves."

"It meant so much to me...I was always there (at the Andover Bookstore)," said Gerber, who still has the treasured book.

Now 27 and living in Manhattan, she's a writer herself. Her experience growing up in Andover with scoliosis, an abnormal curving of the spine, is part of the newest Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books. This edition ($14,95) is called "The Magic of Mothers & Daughters."

Radiology Second Opinion Service Online

How would you or your Doctor like the ability to upload all your radiology exams, including MRIs, CT scans, X-rays, Mammograms and Ultrasounds and receive a detailed second opinion report?

Well, now you or your Doctor can upload your exams conveniently. These reports are prepared by Metis MD board-certified sub-specialized radiologists with 10 years or more experience. Metis MD is an online service providing a second opinion on all your medical imaging.

Because this service is online, it is available to patients anywhere worldwide. Your report will include detailed anatomic descriptions that focus on both the patient's and doctor's specific concerns. These radiology exams are compared with other exams, by experts, making solid recommendations based on correlations between the scans and the patient's medical history. These experts will explain their findings to the patient and/or physician, rating the quality of the scan.

"This service breaks new ground in consumer healthcare" stated Gregory Goldstein, MD, Metis MD founder and president. Dr. Goldstein went on to explain "Giving patients direct access to highly skilled board-certified radiologists has not been done like this before".

Medical imaging plays a key role in medical care and patients have an extremely important say on who and where they receive healthcare from. Patients should receive the very best information in order to, confidently, make the best treatment decisions along with their physicians.

With more and more patients wanting to have more control over final decisions regarding their treatments, Metis MD is giving them the second opinion they are looking for. Second opinions offer patients the power to decide what avenues they have and which ones they wish to take. Metis MD will offer clear, concise findings with expert advice based on the patient's medical history and the findings by the report.

Metis MD will offer you the very best service at very affordable rates, all online. You no longer have to wait for a service to pickup your exams from your Doctor and take weeks to get the results back. Or travel a great distance to sit in a waiting room for hours for a second opinion. Your particular situation is handled with the highest confidentiality and highest expert opinions.

Child's Scoliosis Stresses Patients, Parents: Study

THURSDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Having to wear a body brace for the treatment of scoliosis (curved spine) causes stress for teen patients and their parents, a new study finds.

But parents worry most of all. While teen girls dislike wearing a hard plastic brace around their torso, parents are more worried than their children about scoliosis itself, said the researchers at Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poland.

The study, published June 15 in the journal Spine, included 63 girls with scoliosis who wore a brace to prevent the spinal curve from worsening. Their average age was 14. In such cases, patients generally must wear the brace at least 12 hours a day until they finish growing.

The girls in this study wore their braces an average of nearly 16 hours a day. After about 14 months of brace treatment, the patients and their parents were asked to rate their levels of emotional stress associated with the brace treatment and with scoliosis itself.

Scoliosis question from readers:

I had surgery on my upper back before, but now my lower back had a curve too. Does the book help me to prevent? Just by eating healthier will it help?

Dr. Kevin Lau's reply: 
The diet portion of the book has 2 actions depending on the age of the person. For a child who is going through their growing years it would help supply them with the necessary building blocks for a developing spine. The diet for adults on the other hand is for preventing age related degeneration. I highly recommend whether you have scoliosis or not to eat healthier to prevent most degenerative conditions.

For scoliosis prevention using the diet and exercises prescribed in the book is important. This is because the intervertebral discs between each vertebra have poor blood supply and require movement to pump fluid and nutrients into these discs to keep them healthy.

If you have any other questions email them to: scoliosis.feedback@gmail.com

In good health,
Dr. Kevin Lau