Vitamin D Deficiency and Scoliosis

In this young age, I have diagnosed with osteoporosis. It might sound ridiculous, but this happened to me. I didn't really take the free report I got during my early twenty in a roadshow seriously. But I was aware that my bone density is in low range, and the promoter for the certain milk product told me that it was in the category - osteoporosis. Actually much lower compare to my mum!

Just recently, my scoliosis curve increased after getting another x-ray, the curve worsen. It increased and reached approximated 65 degree. Wow! From original 45 degree and it is now 65 degree, it is totally worsen by 20 degree. Within 20 years the curve worsen 1 degree per year, this is also means that the whole efforts I put in previously was worthless. It was quite depressed and I was advice to undergone surgery during April. The surgery doctor advise is the chances for the degree worsen is obvious, if I reach another 20 years then my curve might reach 85 degree later. This will be dangerous age if I decide to perform operation. I am lost... 

I performed another medical checkup provided by my company, the result T-score showed -2.5 to -3.0 indicates osteoporosis of lumbar vertebrae and osteopaenia of the left and right femoral neck. I took this report and showed to my spine surgical doctor whether am I suitable to undergone surgery. He advice me it is better for me to look for another doctor for the bone density check up.

I performed few tests to check for the reasons of osteopaenia, the tests performed are iPTH, TSH, Vitamin D and Urine Creatininie. Finally, the report shown deficiency in vitamin D which affected my absorption for calcium. I was advice to take Vitamin D and calcium nutrition for few months and come back for the check up later. 

The second round of my checkup shown improvement in the vitamin D and Calcium intake. I am glad that the result is positive... the whole nutrition course might take one year for observation. I think this is why the whole efforts I put in is not sustainable due to the weak bone I have. Therefore, for those who have the same osteopaenia or osteoporosis problem, kindly get doctor advice for further check up for the reason behind.   

Scoliosis is a Genetic Condition?

I happened to read through the "Setting Scoliosis Straight Handbook" published in Scoliosis Research Society (SRS).  "What causes scoliosis….carrying a heavy backpack, not drinking enough milk, poor posture? No, scoliosis isn't caused by anything that you did or didn't do. It is a genetic condition." I am quite surprised to read these sentences due to many doctors and publication mentioned that the cause of scoliosis is unknown. Therefore, I decided to do further reading regarding this statement and share with you all. Hope we can learn more on scoliosis matter.

According to News Medical, "a defect in the gene -- known as CHD7 -- leads to the C- and S-shaped curves that characterize scoliosis." 

What is CHD7? CHD7 stand for Chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 7 gene. The CHD7 gene provides instructions for making a protein called chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 7 and it is critical in many basic functions in the cell. Mutations in CHD7 might cause CHARGE syndrome (coloboma, heart defect, atresia choanae).

In this research, "they found that patients with scoliosis very often had a defect in the gene's non-coding region, meaning that the error did not disrupt production of the CHD7 protein. The researchers speculate that this particular mutation alters the binding of a molecule that controls whether the gene is turned on. In this case, they think the gene is turned off more often than it should be, which reduces the amount of CHD7 protein produced."

It is a bit to technical for me to digest. I hope those who read this article can share and explain more details to us. Thanks.

Reference:
News Medical, 2007, "Scoliosis Gene Found" http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/06/26/26897.aspx

Pendulum dowsing for scoliosis

Flash back to year 2008, I remember when I attended a neuro linguistic programme (NLP), timeline therapy and hypnotherapy practitioner certificate programme. In one of the session, the master teaches us the art of pendulum dowsing. It is a tactic used to communicate with your subconscious mind, some even said that it will also help us to uncover information thought to be forgotten or unknown. But in our programme, this tactic is mainly used in health and beauty purpose.

According to our master, when we are born, our subconscious mind has a perfect health blueprint, by dowsing with pendulum, we asked our subconscious mind to restore our health according to our perfect health blueprint. I choose my scoliosis matters as the topic and practiced it along with my partners.

A crystal pendulum that I brought online

 First, we have a pendulum chart and our DIY pendulum . Then we followed the script to practice.The script looks something like this:

"Sometimes unconscious minds like to give me a signal for "yes" like this. ("Yes" repeat in your mind, and the pendulum will begins moving up and down on the chart along the horizontal line labeled). Now, let's ask the unconscious mind to give you a signal of "No".

1. Do you know what to do to solve the "scoliosis" problem?
2. Is it possible?

3. Is it OK?
4. "Ok, go ahead and solve the problem. Give me a signal for "yes" when you know you have permission.
5. How quickly will you start and finish? ...

I was having trouble getting the pendulum to respond and later the pendulum started to response to our label of "Not Sure". We tried few round but my pendulum refused to say "Yes". At last, my master had to put in more words to convince my subconscious mind the possibility for recovery.

It was a hard process, the same go to our believe system. Ask yourself, do you believe you can recover one day and have a beautiful and straight structure? Going through treatment and exercise is a long process and required our determination. Sometime, I feel doubts and in another second when I see some result I am confident. No matters what, all of us must fight!

 

Isogai Dynamic Therapy

I had heard of Isogai therapy from my best friend's father for quite some time, but do not have a chance to explore it further. The only method I known from my friend's father is to tied up my legs whenever possible and especially during sleep. Although it is a simple method, but it required a lot of self-discipline. If you are preserved enough, it will be the simple, good and cheapest method.  

Just used three stripes to tied up your leg, it can help to align your unbalance hip and running ligaments

I was eager to practice this method for the beginning, but fail to preserve it at last. But whenever I can remember this method, I will do it. It do provide me a good feeling whenever I done the practice. There are advertisement in newspaper by promoting the Isogai therapy in Malaysia, but most of it are selling the stripes and some products. I didn't spend money on the stripes, rather I DIY for myself by using cloth.

For more details, you can read the book written by Kimiyoshi Isogai and Yoshihito Isogai (1982), Isogai Dynamic Therapy {A Method for Controlling the Health on a Lifelong Basis}

Improvement

Photo taken 2 weeks after yoga class

It took me months I didn't update my blog and sorry to say that I am not a good blogger. The photo I posted was taken 2 weeks after I practiced yoga. I am happy to see the improvement and currently I still undergone my scoliosis treatment at the Chinese sifu's place.

On last Monday when I went for my treatment, the Chinese sifu mentioned that my improvement was great but the only part I need to workout more is my muscle part. I need to build up my left body muscle in order to lower the right body. It was great news for me which I have spend almost 3 years for the treatment!

He do mentioned that swimming is the best exercise to workout the muscle. I do practiced swimming previously as being told, but unfortunately I stop cause it was hard to find a swimming pool near my area and I am afraid of water also.

 

How Wai Tan Kung helps me?

I have reached 30 year-old and it is normally hard for me to undergo the traditional Chinese Treatment to fix and push my bone back to normal shape. But luckily I have been practicing Wai Tan Kung when I was 25 year-old.

How Wai Tan Kung helps me? A lot of my friends said this is an old men exercise which including my husband who felt shame to join the senior citizen group for the first time. But after a few months, he can see his improvement in his health and then he is more hardworking than me for joining the class. Ha ha...

When we have a "S" shape bone, I noticed that our breath is usually shorter than normally people. I always have difficulty to breath deeper like the flow is not smooth. One way Wai Tan Kung helps me is by activating my "Hsien Tien Chi" (inner enegry) so that it can improve my blood circulation and recharge my impulse.

At first I join Wai Tan Kung is because all my family has been participate and I was the last one to join the troop. My elder brother is the first who practiced it and followed by my parents and second brother. But all my brothers have stopped and my parent is the consistent one who still practice it until now. I am a bite better than my brothers, although I have stop for few years, but I am back beginning this year with my husband.

Wai Tan Kung make my muscle more relax and it make the push and fix process more easily happened. This is mean less pain and suffer I go through. There are a lot of benefits link to Wai Tan Kung, it is said to be able to enhance the functions of internal organs, improve blood circulation, increase stamina, improve balance, enabling one to prolong a healthy and happy life (Chang, 1986).

Therefore, it is strongly recommended young people also join this kind of exercise and enjoy the benefits from younger age.

Law of Attraction

One of my pictures I put down in my dream board on year 2008 was to have a straight and beautiful back bone (I have pasted it at my study desk's wall). You asked me how I can achieve this dream. I can say I really have no idea. The only things I do are just putting it in my dream list and started to believe I can achieve it one day. I guess this is what calls the law of attraction and I always believe on the power of subconscious mind. This is the secret.

Law of attraction really exists; I have tested it in my area of life. The best proof is I have attracted my husband which I want. How? Very easy… all I do is just list down the feeling I want from my Mr. Right and imagined the happy moments. I still remember I imaged a scenario vividly on what I wanted from my Mr. Right after I broke up with my ex-boyfriend. I want a family man, he will kiss on my forehead every morning before he went for his work (This really happened now after I married on 2009), listen to my words, always care for me… Amazing! Is really happened!

Current I am now undergoing a Chinese traditional scoliosis treatment – bone-setting treatment (Tuina). Before that I have try some other methods like exercise, pendulum, body shaper top garment and physiotherapy (went for the first diagnose, but don't really started it). Thanks to God and thanks to power of attraction.

Good News or Bad News?

I really don’t take it seriously about scoliosis because doctor has set my mind at rest. But one things upset me was if my parent noticed it earlier, maybe I got the chance to improve and I can wear tight cloth and sleeveless garment. I even afraid to let guys found out that I have such an ugly shape. What happened if they know after getting married, will they dislike me? I have no confident with my appearance and always try to hide my weakness with wide and loose T-shirt.

I was actively playing badminton with my right hand (my right hand is super stronger than my left hand), drink a lot of cow milk to prevent osteoporosis (later I found out drinking cow milk can lead to osteoporosis faster!), sitting with crossed leg often (not encourage), sleep at soft and bad quality mattress, carried heavy things with incorrect posture, wearing high heels and drink carbonated drink. These are the things we should avoid when we have scoliosis.

Until I reached 24, I attended an interview and recruited as one of the bank employee. Before I was formally recruited, I was required to undergo a body check up. I went to the clinic for the entire test and the doctor noticed my scoliosis. She seems very surprised on it and told me that my lung on left side is smaller compare to my right lung; she even told me that my degree of curvature will get worse especially when I have osteoporosis. Then it will threatens the vital organs, especially the lungs and heart.

I told her the report I obtained from the orthopedics doctor previously, there were nothing serious. But the doctor asked me to go and get the support letter from the orthopedics doctor. I was worried on what the doctor told me. In these 9 years, I have notice that my degree of curvature getting worse, mainly I have a lower bone mineral density (BMD) compare to my mum. Another word I have tendency in osteoporosis. What’s happened if I reach menopause stage? These are the questions I afraid of.

45 Degree Curve

I really don’t know the reason. When I browse on internet regarding the cause of scoliosis, normally the answer I got will be unknown, such case called idiopathic scoliosis. I just remember when I was 15 year-old. My grandmother (now my grandmother had passed away) noticed the abnormal curve with my spine when we visited her. She asked my mum to take me for X-rays. How can I not noticing about my own problem? I really can’t remember. May be it is because I was inferiority, felt myself not beautiful, more masculinity, and seldom wear tight cloth. When I observed myself in the mirror, the front posture is still “presentable”, the back shape is like a big “S” shape where the right muscle coming up and left muscle hiding up.

This picture was taken after I undergone 3 treatments

Finally I got my X-rays done and advised from the orthopedics (bone) doctor in hospital. The doctor told me that the degree of my curvature was 45 degree. He asked me whether I have any difficulty to breath, pain related to scoliosis. I said no. He told me that the cause is inborn, which I might have it when I was infant, but it is unnoticeable. Any treatments to improve the condition? The answer I got from the specialist was to undergo surgery to correct my spine. But it was not advisable, luckily he said that, if not I will probably go for operation. He also told me that I am too old to wear bracing to correct my bone. All I need to do is exercise. I asked him whether the curve will get worse. He said no. This is the advice I got from the orthopedics doctor which was contradicted with one of doctor and sometimes I do feel my curvature got worse due to I have low bone density.

Why I am writing this blog?

I am currently 30 year-old and undergo scoliosis treatment. Actually scoliosis didn’t cause me any big issues where I don’t feel any chest or back pain, breathing difficulty as others may feel. Haha! I think the biggest problem is I cannot wear bikini. Just joking… But once a while, I felt difficult to breathe when I was sitting too long or playing badminton using my right hand (my muscle is over active in right hand). Other than that I am a normal person. What is scoliosis? Scoliosis three-dimensional deformity of the spine and rib cage and the layman meaning will be it is a medical condition in which a person’s spine is curve from side to side.

This blog is not for me to share with you from medical point of views. It is more on my real experiences which I gone through on my scoliosis treatment. I hope others can contribute their experiences too and at least provide some alternative scoliosis treatment methods others than surgery which I really do not want unless it is really serious. I have spent 15 years sourcing and continue sourcing now. I have found few alternative methods and I felt comfortable about it. I can say I am lucky and thanks to God. I hope this will help others to discover your own treatment method and ways to improve your condition.