Who Else Wants To Reduce Scoliosis Without Ineffective And Outdated Braces Or Painful Surgery?

The Scoliosis CLEAR treatment system that helped thousands of Scoliosis sufferers reduce their condition and take back control of their lives.

Scoliosis is a scary and traumatic condition.

You find out that your spine is curving too much and the problems can only get worse as you get older.

The only Scoliosis treatment options presented to you are not very satisfying… you can either:

1. Watch & Wait / Do nothing and hope the Scoliosis doesn’t get worse

2. Wear an ineffective brace for 23 hours per day that at best will only stabilize the condition and sometimes can make the Scoliosis worse

3. Undergo invasive Scoliosis surgery to fuse metal rods to your spine, with high risk for dangerous complications

But what you don’t know is that these options only treat the symptoms of Scoliosis… and not the real cause of Scoliosis.

You could suffer from Scoliosis pain your whole life without ever knowing that there is an alternative treatment for Scoliosis that has been proven effective to reduce Scoliosis curves and pain because it fixes the real cause of Scoliosis.

How could that be possible?

Let me tell you a quick story about how Wendy spent 30 years of her life suffering from Scoliosis pain, but after just one week of the Scoliosis CLEAR treatment system experienced more pain relief than ever before… (click to play video)

Wendy was diagnosed with Scoliosis at the age of 17.

Her doctor said she had a curve of 23 degrees and her scoliosis was not severe enough to warrant treatment.

Wendy and her parents were thrilled that she wouldn’t have to wear an outdated brace.

Everything went great until Wendy was in her late 20s and had a sudden bout of excruciating pain.

The pain was so bad that she couldn’t stand up or even support her own body weight.

She went back to the doctor and found out that her Scoliosis had worsened to a severe 47 degrees.

Wendy was desperate and visited countless doctors, therapists, and chiropractors over the next 30 years. But nothing worked to ease her pain and suffering from Scoliosis.

Her husband begged if there was anything he could do to help her… but there was nothing. Wendy cried herself to sleep at night because she felt so powerless to stop the scoliosis pain in her own body.

This Scoliosis pain tormented Wendy from her late 20s all the way until she turned 50 years old.

That’s when Wendy heard about the CLEAR Scoliosis Treatment system and her husband insisted that she at least give it a try.

Wendy showed up in my Hudson Valley Scoliosis practice and after one week of my intensive Scoliosis treatment she had more pain relief than the previous 30 years of doctors, therapists, and chiropractors combined.

But don’t take my word for it – listen to Wendy’s inspirational story yourself in the video above to see how she gained the power to beat her Scoliosis pain and take back control of her life.

Who Am I?

My journey to becoming a chiropractor came from a personal experience of chiropractic’s healing power. My health was destroyed as a young child by regular and severe chest pains. My family consulted traditional medical specialists but nothing worked to get relief for my pain.

It wasn’t until my family ignored traditional medicine and tried chiropractic medicine that I experienced a phenomenal total cure of these debilitating pains. From that point on I made the decision to devote my life to spreading the health restoring benefits of this amazing healing art, chiropractic.

I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with honors from the University of New Hampshire in 1978. I then went on to study chiropractic at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, the worlds oldest and largest chiropractic college – I graduated with honors in 1982.

In addition post graduate studies have included advanced studies in various physical therapies, manipulation under anesthesia, cold laser acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, clinical nutrition, foot orthotics, radiology and of course spinal biomechanics which eventually resulted in my scoliosis work over the past 35 years. Over the past decade, I have worked closely with Dr Woggon and CLEAR Scoliosis Institute to gain their highest level of certification.

I’ve seen the physical and emotional trauma caused by Scoliosis, and have made it my mission to treat and reduce Scoliosis cases without the use of braces or surgery whenever possible. My practice, the Hudson Valley Scoliosis Correction Center, offers conservative and natural healing concentrating on the treatment of spinal postural distortions.

My staff and I utilize a variety of Chiropractic techniques, an American science over 100 years old, modern applications of Chinese medicine, which dates to over 3000 years old, and clinical nutrition – wellness practices which have stood the test of time. This combined with cutting edge strategies developed by CLEAR Scoliosis Institute are providing dramatic help to scoliosis sufferers.

These new techniques work so well because they target the root cause of Scoliosis rather than just treat the symptoms. By seeking to maximize the natural strengths of the body and its capacity to heal itself I am able to help without the use of drugs, bracing or surgery.

I’ve found that traditional medicine most commonly recommends dealing with Scoliosis symptoms in the following three ways… none of which actually treat the underlying cause of Scoliosis.

Bad Option #1 – “Observe” The Scoliosis And Do Nothing

It is common practice for doctors to recommend “observing” mild scoliosis curves, sometimes called “watch and wait”, which means once the scoliosis is discovered, it is re-x-rayed until it passes a 30 degree curve at which point it then becomes a candidate for either bracing (does not work) or surgery (also in long run very detrimental).

“Watch and Wait” is not a scoliosis treatment, it is just doing nothing and hoping the scoliosis won’t get worse (it will).

Many times I’ve had patients come into my practice and say “it was just a mild scoliosis curve until all of a sudden it just took off and progressed over 35 degrees and now my doctor is recommending scoliosis spinal fusion surgery”.

Below is the progression of untreated scoliosis from mild 6 degree curve to severe 43 degree curve in just 4 years.

Though it is rare for scoliosis to present with pain in adolescence, pain is a common symptom of adult scoliosis. The patients in my office receiving adult scoliosis treatment all say the same thing, they were told they had scoliosis as children and teens and advised to “watch & wait”. Then around middle age, sometimes sooner, they begin to experience back pain, hip pain, or other symptoms only to discover that scoliosis is the underlying culprit.

The longer you wait, the worse the curve gets. Once skeletal maturity is reached, a patient with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is now said to have Adult Idiopathic Scoliosis. There would typically be a slow increase (about 0.5-2 degrees per year) in the curvature that began during teenage years in an otherwise healthy individual which is progressive during adult life. Where does that put you 10 years from now? 30 years from now?

Never accept a recommendation of doing nothing when the condition could result in you or your child “needing” a highly invasive scoliosis spinal fusion surgery.

You need to do something now to stop scoliosis progression.

All severe scoliosis curves have one thing in common: they started out as mild curves and progressively got worse.

Bad Option #2 – Outdated Scoliosis Braces That Are Ineffective

For over 500 years the scoliosis back brace has been around yet until very recently there has been no definitive evidence of its effectiveness. The goal of scoliosis bracing was always stabilization, not correction – and all too often, a scoliosis brace even fails at that. Scoliosis braces like the Boston Brace, Milwaukee Brace, Providence Brace, Charleston Brace, or the many TLSO braces that are available at hospitals around the world are ill fitting and seek to lock the scoliosis into its distortion. This is similar to what a cast does to a broken arm, lock it in place. This does not work with scoliosis and is seen by many as just a “waiting room for surgery”.

Most scoliosis braces are not designed to correct curves, a scoliosis brace will attempt to hold the spine in place so the curve doesn’t get any worse. To this end many types of scoliosis back brace need to be worn for 23 hours a day, 7 days a week, for years on end.

The goal of scoliosis bracing is to reduce forces acting upon the spine to discourage the vertebrae from twisting further. It attempts to do this by reducing the forces of gravity acting upon those vertebrae. However, the main source of pressure and force acting upon the bones of the spine is not gravity, but the intrinsic core musculature of the spinal column. A scoliosis brace immobilizes the muscles and the discs, this weakens the supporting muscles, and can actually result in a further progression of the scoliosis condition.

A new type of brace has been recently released that I do use in exceptional cases. I use the brace in approximately 15-20% of cases that I treat. 

A peer reviewed study published in 2007, (evaluating the older styles of braces like the Boston and Milwaukee bracing systems) in the SPINE journal, compared 15 separate scoliosis brace studies with 3 observation-only studies and stated:

“Observation-only or scoliosis brace treatment showed no clear advantage of either approach. Furthermore one can not recommend one approach over another to prevent scoliosis surgery.” They gave the recommendation for scoliosis brace treatment a grade “D” relative to observation only because of “troubling inconsistent or inconclusive studies on any level.”

The controversy over the effectiveness of bracing is somewhat misleading. Most information you read online will be referring to the older brace systems and NOT the modern brace designs. You will never find any doctor in the world claiming that these older bracing systems will reduce or correct scoliosis; rather, the debate is over whether or not wearing that type of brace will prevent the scoliosis from getting worse. When doctors state that bracing “works,” what they’re really saying is that it stabilizes the scoliosis, keeping it at its current position. Most doctors will insist that bracing does “work” — with proper compliance. Recommended compliance is to wear the scoliosis back brace twenty-three hours per day, every day, for many years. If this seems a little extreme to you, you’re not alone.

In a study published in the American Journal of Orthopedics, 60% of the patients surveyed felt that bracing had handicapped their life, and 14% felt it had left a psychological scar. The Children’s Research Center in Dublin, Ireland, has not recommended bracing as a scoliosis treatment since 1991, stating,

“If bracing does not reduce the proportion of children with AIS [adolescent idiopathic scoliosis] who require surgery for cosmetic improvement of their deformity, it cannot be said to provide a meaningful advantage to the patient or the community.”

Yes, there is a time when bracing is necessary, but this is rare when using the effective methods of exercise-based treatment programs.

Bad Option #3 – Highly Invasive Scoliosis Surgery With Potentially Dangerous Complications

The most common scoliosis surgery is highly invasive and requires doctors to make a large incision down the back and spread open the ribs. One or more steel rods are inserted, along with pins and pieces of bone to secure the remaining bones and fuse the spine into place in an attempt to prevent it from curving further. It is then followed by a long, painful recovery period that leaves patients with very large scars. A 2002 German study on the long-term quality of life for idiopathic scoliosis patients who had received Harrington instrumentation reported “40% of operated treated patients with idiopathic scoliosis were legally defined as severely handicapped persons”.

And what’s even worse? The scoliosis surgery often leads to complications, and the metal rods themselves can break.

These x-rays show Harrington rods that bent and broke while still inside the patient’s body. Many surgeons will refuse to operate on this condition, leaving the patient with few options to alleviate their pain & suffering.

There are many horror stories of complications following Scoliosis surgery. Here are just a few but you can find many more searching online:

“My dad has had metal rods in his back since 1995. They are horrible. He is in so much more pain than before and now every doctor says there is nothing they can do for him b/c the rods can never come out. I am trying to get him into the mayo clinic but so far haven’t had any luck. He lives in constant pain.” – Orthopedics Forum – Broken Harrington Rod

“I had/have been having a lot of back pain. Last summer I went back to the dr. that did the surgery. That is when I found out that my rod is broken. I don’t know when it happened. I just know I have constant pain in my shoulder blade on up. So, unfortunately, yes the rod can break. But, I do not know the solution.” – National Scoliosis Fondation Forums

“My daughter had her titanium Harrington rods removed on May 24th. She was two years post injury, and had constant, deep pain in her lower back. She was also constantly nauseated, making it difficult to eat.” – CareCure Forums – Removal of Harrington Rods

“I was told the best they could do as a last resort would be to to cut off pieces at each end of the break. To keep the broken halves from banging into each other.The rods were grafted/fused to my back using pieces of my hip.I was told to remove them would be extremely difficult and there was a good chance I’d be worse off afterward.” – Spina Bifida Connection Support Forum-Broken Harrington Rod Pics

WARNING! This page contains graphic images and video of surgery!

Scoliosis surgery is one of the longest and most complicated orthopedic surgical procedures performed on children. It is also performed on adults, though not as frequently. When bracing is deemed ineffective or the scoliosis continues to progress after the patient’s growth is complete or after puberty has started, surgery is typically prescribed to stop the curve’s progression (see corresponding article on scoliosis bracing). Surgery may even be prescribed sooner if the curve progression rate is rapid during a short period of time. Surgery is typically recommended for adolescents and adults whose growth is complete and whose curve is at least 40 to 50 degrees. Scoliosis surgery is sometimes even suggested for an adult with a curve of less than 40 degrees if the scoliosis brace has failed and they are in a lot of pain. Below is a video corrective surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

So if these scoliosis surgeries are dangerous, why do they keep getting prescribed by doctors, surgeons, and insurance companies?

The answer is simple: Follow the money.

First, many healthcare professionals are not aware of the scientific literature that details the negative side effects of the scoliosis surgery procedure. Also, very little follow-up with the patient is performed after the operation. Many surgeons believe that the surgeries they perform are beneficial to the patient because no one has returned to their office after the operation to inform them otherwise. Doctors are desperate to meet their patients’ demands for their “scoliosis treatment” but have no good options besides prescribing bracing (which, at best, only slows or stops progression, and at worst, actually worsens the scoliosis by weakening the postural muscles), or performing the surgery.

Obviously, if surgeons stop performing this surgery, they stand to lose a great deal of money. Alternative scoliosis treatment methods are simply not explored by the established medical community because of the possibility that they may prove to be more effective and less costly, thereby eliminating the need to treat scoliosis surgically, and also their source of income.

The insurance companies know that research states 40% of operated scoliosis patients are legally defined as permanently handicapped for the rest of their lives; in such an event, the insurance company’s financial responsibility for that patient is terminated, and federal Social Security & Disability programs are responsible for covering all medical expenses. There is nothing more important than your health and insurance should not be a criteria for getting care. You need to do what’s best for you and your family.

The Best Solution Is Conservative Exercise Based Home Scoliosis Treatment

Idiopathic scoliosis is the result of both genetic predisposition and specific environmental factors, which are probably the primary drivers of curve progression. The understanding and identification of the specific environmental factors that drive idiopathic scoliosis are still poorly understood.

Potential Risk Factors for Idiopathic Scoliosis:

• Neurotransmitter imbalance from nutritional deficiencies (e.g. selenium)
• Exposure to mycobacterium
• Minor leg length discrepancies
• Specific genetic defects
• Repeated “back bend” activities
• Increased levels of Osteopontin
• Spinal trauma
• Poor postural habits
• Activities that cause repeated compression on the spine

WATCH OUR SCOLIOSIS WEBINAR

It is important to treat scoliosis curves BEFORE they progress rather than AFTER, because there are more non-invasive treatments that address scoliosis early on that do not employ the use of scoliosis braces. Instead they use scoliosis exercises consisting of spinal resistance training in conjunction with the principles of autonomic control of the spines alignment. Teenage scoliosis patients are treated with a customized neuromuscular reeducation program that includes treatment on various machines combined with scoliosis exercises. Early-intervention is essential to establish smaller and more stable curves.

Though most theory on the cause of idiopathic scoliosis posits a central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) dysfunction as the root cause, scoliosis brace treatment and scoliosis surgery focus solely on the scoliosis curve symptoms, not the cause.

The researchers and clinicians at the CLEAR Institute saw a fundamental disconnect between theory and clinical treatment and sought out to develop a scoliosis treatment program that focused on “retraining” the scoliosis brain to “learn” how to hold the spine straighter automatically, referred to as “three dimensional auto-correction”.

Scoliosis Protocols

My protocols operate under the premise that scoliosis is a complex condition and that there is no one adjustment or therapy which will work in every case. Therefore, the scoliosis treatment must be customized to the specific needs of each individual patient. However, there are key aspects of these protocols which are essential to achieve consistent, measurable progress.

Precision X-Rays

The beginning of the  protocols involves gathering information about the biomechanical function of the entire spine – not just the area(s) affected by scoliosis. It is an axiom that you can control the middle of a cord by moving the top and the bottom. By the same logic, it is important to understand what is occurring in the neck and hips in order to affect the middle of the spine.

To obtain this information, seven small, precise x-rays are necessary, totalling 292 mR of radiation (by comparison, according to the American Nuclear Society, the amount of naturally-occurring, environmental radiation we are exposed to every year is 360 mR, and the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements states that the risk of abnormality to an unborn fetus is considered negligible at 5,000 mR or less).

These initial x-rays are used as a starting point to measure your progress. The patient’s progress is monitored and determined throughout the treatment process, through interval x-ray examinations, generally every 3 to 6 months, depending on the severity

The treatment follows a three step process:

1. Mix (warmup the spine)

2. Fix (adjust the spine)

3. Set (lock spinal corrections)

Step 1: MIX (warm-up or “prehab”)

Before receiving chiropractic adjustments, the patient warms up their spine using equipment such as the Wobble Chair (which sits upon a ball-and-socket joint and flexes in every direction to put the spine through a full range of motion), the Cervical Traction (which is used actively by the patient to achieve gentle, repetitive spinal traction), and the Vibrating Traction (which uses a slow, relaxing vibration scientifically proven to relax the ligaments and soft tissues of the spine). A special motorized table with belts that pull (not push!) the scoliotic curves out of the spine, called the Eckard Flexion/Distraction table, achieves the goal of re-structuring and re-modeling the ligaments after they have been relaxed. If the MIX protocols are not followed, the inter-vertebral discs will be rigid and inflexible, and it will be difficult if not impossible to effect structural changes to the spine (think cold versus warmed up Silly Putty).

Step 2: FIX (specific instrument-assisted adjusting)

Mechanical adjusting instruments and specialized drop pieces enhance the precision and effectiveness of chiropractic care, while also reducing the amount of force required to correct the spine. Almost all adjusting of the neck are performed with the use of such instruments, and the application of these adjustments are correlated with the information obtained from the patient’s x-rays. Your health is too important to guess about, so all corrections are confirmed.  Follow up examination, photographic analysis of posture, and where necessary use of low dose X-ray are used to confirm the correction of these areas.

Step 3: SET (rehab stage)

Immediately after the adjustment is completed, the spine is “set” in its corrected position to ensure the permanency of the changes. This involves spinal weighting protocols (typically on the head, torso & hips), whole-body vibration therapy, also known as Neuromuscular Re-education (NMR), such as the Vibe and the Scoliosis Traction Chair, and gait therapy which re-trains patterns of moving and walking. In addition, a custom designed, patient specific scoliosis exercise and stretching program is conducted at home twice daily. If the SET or NMR protocols are not followed, any corrections achieved in the spine will be temporary.

Follow-up exams

After 12 visits, a CLEAR-certified doctor takes a single post x-ray to validate the effectiveness of the treatment protocol. The specific x-ray which is necessary is limited as much as possible to the patient’s specific condition. For example, if the initial x-ray showed that the patient’s low back was in fairly good shape prior to treatment, a sideways view of the low back is not necessary. It’s important to keep in mind that not all patients will show a reduction in the severity of the scoliotic curve, as measured by Cobb angle, within this time frame. This is because Cobb angle is a measurement of only one dimension of the spine, and scoliosis is a three-dimensional condition. Before the sideways curve can be reduced or corrected, the spine must be de-rotated and decompressed in the other two dimensions. Treating a complex spinal disorder such as scoliosis is a little like reversing the path of a runaway train. It takes time to first slow down the momentum, then more time is needed to change the course of the condition.

Home Spinal Rehab Program

All our staff emphasize to the patient the importance of their active participation in the treatment program. Results are not guaranteed – they are earned, by patients who are willing to work alongside of the doctor and his staff of supervised therapists. The traditional methods of scoliosis treatment, bracing and surgery, are considered “passive” therapies, in that the patient has the procedures done to them; the doctor designs the brace, the doctor performs the surgery. Our method, by comparison, should be considered an “active” process – the doctor teaches the patient how to do the procedures, and the patient does them. A small part of the protocols could be considered passive, but the effectiveness of these treatments on their own is limited without the involvement of the patient. The degree of patient participation affects the amount of improvement

See Our  Scoliosis Treatment In Action

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Neuromuscular Re-education

NMR is a set of procedures that awakens the neurological control of the brain to improve posture and straighten the spine. Body weights designed expressly for each patient are usually worn during these procedures. The posture balance mechanics and reoriented to gravity by gait and balance training. Whole body vibration therapy is used.

Scoliosis Traction Chair

This chair is designed to further open up the scoliotic curves and de-rotate the spine. The Scoliosis Traction Chair (STC) uses high-level vibration, which causes the muscles of the spine to contract at a higher frequency than normal, accelerating healing. The scoliosis traction chair allows the patient to work their core muscles in a scoliosis free posture.  All patients using the STC are evaluated to confirm correct positioning and efficacy of the therapy.

Cervical Traction

This is self-administered traction that pumps the body’s own fluid and nutrients into the discs of the neck.

Spinal Decompressive Traction

This equipment will stretch the tissue longitudinally.

Vibrational Traction

This device is designed to further relax the spinal ligaments, tendons, and discs. The slow vibration of this machine targets these tissues.

Eckard Table

This table flexes up and down, loosening the tightened muscles and ligaments that are present in a scoliotic spine. Patients are positioned to open up the scoliotic curve.

The Wobble Chair

The way the body’s own nutrient fluids get into the discs to keep them healthy is through motion. The specific movement of the wobble chair pumps nutrients into the discs and increases spinal flexibility.

Now It’s Your Turn To Reduce Scoliosis

You’ve already seen the testimonials of many Scoliosis sufferers who had significant improvements in their condition after Hudson Valley Scoliosis Correction Center treatment.

What do you have to lose besides your Scoliosis curves?

Give me a call right now for a no obligation, free consultation that is 100% confidential:

(845) 624-0010

Or….Click here to have us contact YOU!

You’re Now Standing At A Crossroads – Which Side Will You Choose?

It’s decision-making time.

Right now, you have 3 options.

First option is simply doing “nothing”. This takes you down a torturous road of pain, frustration and embarrassment as you try and “deal” with your Scoliosis instead of fighting it and getting your life back.

Your second option is taking the advice of your doctor. They’ll either ask you to wear outdated and ineffective braces 23 hours a day… prepare for dangerous spinal fusion surgery with risks for complications later in life… or ask you to give up your hard-earned money for regular treatments which only give you (at best) temporary relief.

The third option is calling me today for a no-obligation, free and confidential consultation about your Scoliosis condition. Or you can use the chat box on the side of the page to speak with my assistant immediately who will answer any of your questions.

With the Hudson Valley Scoliosis Treatment System you can finally fight your Scoliosis and take back control of your life.

Which one would YOU rather choose?

I trust you’ll make the right decision in choosing to give our Scoliosis Treatment a try.

Give me a call right now for a no obligation, free consultation that is 100% confidential:

(845) 624-0010

Or….Click here to have us contact YOU!

Waiting longer will only give more opportunity for Scoliosis curves to worsen…

Remember, CLEAR Scoliosis Treatment has been proven to work and we’ve developed the best offer available.

To yours in health,

Dr. Andrew Strauss, Founder of Hudson Valley Scoliosis

P.S. Remember that all severe scoliosis curves have one thing in common: they started out as mild curves and progressively got worse. Do something about your Scoliosis NOW and re-claim control over your life. I have treated Scoliosis curves ranging from mild to severe and patients from age 7 to age 81, but the sooner you start intensive Scoliosis treatment, the better the results will be.

So make that leap of faith today.

Give me a call right now for a no obligation, free consultation that is 100% confidential:

(845) 624-0010

Or….Click here to have us contact YOU!

Give me a call right now for a no obligation, free consultation that is 100% confidential:

(845) 624-0010

Or….Click here to have us contact YOU!