Dr. Aatif Siddiqui (Dr. Sid)

Typical case solved

2009-02-17T21:42:00.002-05:00

Our patient of the month Mr. Schlack, this patient had come to our NYC chiropractic office for his neck and low back pain. He noted he has been to 4 other chiropractors with no relief of his symptoms. He has had 2 epidurals and has been taking 12 ibuprofen a day. After about 2 weeks the patient noted that his pain was getting better. After one month he has stopped taking any ibuprofen, and is virtually pain free You can see a copy of his testimonial at the link below.

click here for testimonial

Scoliosis treatment that offers a safe alternative to surgery

2009-01-12T12:31:00.003-05:00

www.espritwellness.com
www.treatscoliosisnow.com

In our clinic, we have developed a great deal of respect and even admiration for the men and women of all ages who have come to us for treatment of their scoliosis. We have listened to their stories, empathized with their pain, and shared in their joy as positive changes were made to their so-called “incurable” condition. We have also formed close relationships with men and women who, in their youth, had undergone the Harrington rod implantation surgery in an attempt to halt the progression of their scoliosis and, sadly, found the quality of their lives worsened, rather than improved by the procedure.
Scoliosis is estimated to affect 4.5% of the general population. In a nation of approximately 274 million people, this means that over 12 million cases of scoliosis exist, and almost 500 more are diagnosed each day - about 173,000 every year. According to some studies, the average scoliosis patient will suffer a 14-year reduction in their life expectancy. This means that if by some miracle we can eliminate scoliosis completely; this would add 168 million years of health and productivity to our society. Clearly this is not a minor issue, but an epidemic, and one that should be taken very seriously. Due to the limited options for scoliosis patients, we made it our priority to research and implement a proven and cost-effective method of treating scoliosis. Our training with the CLEAR Institute program has enabled us to treat dozens of scoliosis patients, both locally and internationally, by providing a non-surgical option with measurable improvement.

Dr. Sid

Q and A

2008-09-09T22:22:00.002-04:00

www.espritwellness.com
www.treatscoliosisnow.com

Q: Why should I seek treatment for my scoliosis from a chiropractor certified by CLEAR Institute? What do they know that my regular D.C. doesn’t?
A: Typical chiropractic adjustments have been proven to be ineffective or even harmful to the scoliotic patient, due to the mobilization of fixated vertebrae by the adjustment. While this may cause pain relief in the short term, the long term result is increased progression of the Cobb angle. CLEAR practitioners are not focused on relieving pain, although this is certainly the end result. Chiropractors trained by CLEAR Institute are committed to achieving structural changes to the spine that will allow the body to de-rotate and correct itself, and use specific, reproducible precision x-rays that are analyzed according to exact guidelines to measure and quantify the change.
We focus on involving the patient in the treatment process. Rather than trying to “force” the spine into position with rods or braces, we work with the body to address the internal cause behind why the scoliosis developed. This involves active involvement on the part of the patient, as we re-train patterns of walking, re-balance the strength of muscles on each side of the body, and re-model posture. Advanced chiropractic adjustments achieve the correction, but your participation ensures its permanence.

Q: What are the effects of scoliosis?
A: Scoliosis is not always associated with pain, although it commonly may be. Even in people without pain, however, the function of the heart & lungs is compromised. According to the National Scoliosis Foundation, scoliosis is associated with reduced life expectancy. On the average, people with scoliosis suffer a 14-year reduction in their life expectancy due to the strain upon the heart & the reduced amount of oxygen supplied to the body. Scoliosis is also associated with headaches, shortness of breath, digestive problems, chronic disease, and hip, knee, & leg pain.

Q: Will my scoliosis get worse as I age?
A: For a long time, doctors told patients that their scoliosis would not progress after the age of 18; unfortunately, research has proven otherwise. Whether scoliosis develops earlier in life (Type A) or in adulthood (Type B), it will most likely progress; the only question is how fast. Additional studies have shown that as the Cobb angle increases, the amount of chronic pain goes up, and the ranges of motion & the quality of life goes down.

Q: My scoliosis is termed “idiopathic,” meaning the cause is unknown. Is it true that I inherited this condition from my mother?
A: You may have heard that researchers at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children recently discovered a gene associated with scoliosis. However, there are several flaws with the “gene theory” of disease. For instance, it has been universally recognized in recent years that attempting to attribute a genetic basis to any disease is an exercise in futility. While there may be such a thing as a genetic predisposition, the presence of a genetic marker for a specific disease is in no way a guarantee that the carrier will ever express that particular gene. An article featured in the July 2005 issue of Scientific American, entitled, "Identical Twins Exhibit Differences in Gene Expression," is an appropriate confirmation of this concept. Even amongst identical twins, gene expression differs over one-third of the time! For more information on this concept, research the science of epigenetics, or click here.
CLEAR Institute teaches that scoliosis is the body’s natural and innate response to the loss of mechanical function provided by the normal curves of the spine. When these curves disappear, the body re-inserts them in another dimension. If scoliosis has a “cause,” then it can only be described as the laws of physics!
It is easy to understand this concept of mechanical advantage for yourself. Find a heavy weight, about 10 to 20 pounds, and hold it in your hand for a while. If you have to support this weight for a long time, there is a natural position that the body will assume: your elbow will come close to your body, and your palm will be up, with your fingers facing towards you. This is very similar to how your spine supports the weight of your head with the curve in your neck. When you bend your hand forward & remove that curve from your wrist, your elbow will swing out to the side to replace the lost stability. This is very similar to what happens in your spine when the curve in your neck is lost; the body develops scoliosis because a straight spine is extremely unstable. Essentially, scoliosis is a biomechanical reaction to forward head posture & the loss of the curve in the neck, and develops due to pressure & interference on the nerves responsible for maintaining posture & symmetry during growth, which are concentrated in the neck.
In conclusion, perhaps some people are more likely to develop scoliosis than others, but there is a still a reason why one person will and another will not. With scoliosis, just like with everything else, your environment determines which genes will become expressed and which will remain dormant. With the stability provided by the natural curves of the spine, there is no need for the body to develop & maintain a scoliosis.

new treatment offered for scoliosis

2008-05-26T17:48:00.001-04:00

www.espritwellness.com
www.treatscoliosisnow.com

4/20/08-- I returned from a 4-day advanced seminar on scoliosis treatments, highlighting adult scoliosis treatment, specifically. Recent developments in the field of treating adults with scoliosis have emerged. We now have the capability to offer adult scoliosis treatment as well treatment for scoliosis in teens. Our approach is unique in that we are the only practice in New York City (and the Northeast region) to incorporate SpineCor research, Spinecor flexible brace, Clear Institute practices and Pettibon technique in the treatment of Scoliosis. We have a powerful and complete scoliosis program. We have also devised scoliosis exercises that patients can perform at home. In essence, I equate wearing the spinecor brace to undergoing 20 hours of scoliosis physical therapy a day which, combined with Clear Institute's "mix", "fix", and "set" principle (i.e., Mix it up, fix it and then set it in place) create a scoliosis treatment protocol like no other. Clear Institute asserts that applying their protocol can achieve a 10 to 30 percent correction initially. These are great results as it affords people a non-invasive, non-surgical alternative for treating scoliosis. Stay tuned for more exciting research in the area of adult scoliosis treatment.

More On Scoliosis

2008-02-18T20:10:00.001-05:00

www.espritwellness.com
www.treatscoliosisnow.com

This past weekend I went to a Scoliosis (SpineCor) and a Chiropractic seminar in Las Vegas. It was great to be there. Every time I go to a SpineCor seminar I always learn something new and helpful to the bracing technique. For example, there is a new and more effective manner to brace a thoracic type 3 curve.

At the Chiropractic Seminar I met with Dr. Dennis Woggon, the founder of clear institute a scoliosis reduction technique, and spoke to him one-on-one in more depth about his work with Scoliosis. His work is inspiring. We continue to research his technique. At our patients’ request, we will begin to incorporate elements of his technique into our protocol starting this April. We have just received a cervical tracking unit and the ArthroStim device; both help restore the cervical curve. Restoring the cervical curve is very important. According to Dr. Woggon, "The cervical curve is the route to scoliosis". If the curve in the cervical spine is diminished it will increase the tension on the spinal cord by 10%, if the curve is reverse it will cause 17% tension. If there is tension on the cord it will cause the spine to bend somewhere else to alleviate the tension of the cord.
We are committed to approaching the treatment of Scoliosis with the best and latest techniques. We will continue to stay abreast of new research in the field to be able to provide you state of the art care for Scoliosis. Stay tuned. -Dr. Sid

Scoliosis Reduction

2008-01-14T11:04:00.001-05:00

www.espritwellness.com
www.treatscoliosisnow.com

This weekend I attended the Scoliosis Reduction seminar presented by Dr. Dennis Woggon, Founder of Clear Institute and a 1974 cum laude graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic. The seminar was very informative. Dr. Woggon, detailed various techniques that he uses in the reduction of scoliosis that have generated great results, namely--vibration therapy for proprioceptive neuromuscular reeducation, Spinal Traction, Exercises, Spinal Weighting, Muscle Stimulation, Rehabilitation, Core Stimulation, and the use of the ArthroStim.

We presently utilize the SpineCor brace http://www.scoliosisspecialists.com/ for the reduction of scoliosis. SpineCor brace in conjunction with the treatment developed by Dr. Woggon would appear to be a powerful combination for the reduction of scoliosis. We are excited to continue to research this offering and look forward to sharing our observations with you. As always, feedback, questions, comments, or concerns are welcomed!

Yours in health,