In this life, you’re only given one body. At no point, do you have the option to switch it out for another. It naturally follows that you must take care of yourself at all costs.

Sure, some forms of damage are repairable through the miraculous healing processes of the body. But, other problems require time and/or the skilled hands of a master.

Over the past 100 years, there have been great strides made in the medical community. We understand the human body much better than we ever have before. We’ve built upon a foundation that has been culminating for thousands of years. Yet, that being said, we’ve only just scratched the surface when it comes to spine surgery. It’s a relatively new field, after all. And, as new technologies arise, you’re going to want to invest your trust in someone who is at the forefront of their field.

Enter Dr. Jason E. Lowenstein. Dr. Lowenstein of The Advanced Spine Center is one of the best spine surgeons in the world—especially when it comes to scoliosis treatment. Truth be told, you can trust no one better when it comes to your spine health.

Dr. Lowenstein: A Medical Profile

It’s very easy to claim that someone is good at something. In the real world, you need to substantiate these claims by carefully examining evidence in the form of track records and accolades. This is especially so when it comes to the field of medicine. Because again, you’re trusting these individuals with your body. So, let’s take a closer look at the evidence:

Dr. Jason Lowenstein, MD is a board-certified, fellowship-trained adult and pediatric spinal deformity surgeon. In addition, he serves as the acting Director of Scoliosis & Spinal Deformity at Morristown Medical Center—a position that one only attains after years of successful outcomes. (10+ years, to be exact.) Truly, there is no real substitute for experience. It’s one of the most important qualities that any surgeon can earn.

Regarding his industry reputation, Dr. Lowenstein has been recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor and been voted a Top Doctor by New Jersey Monthly Magazine. He’s also been recognized by Inside Jersey Magazine as a Top Doctor, Top Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon, and Top Doctor for Children’s Health. Not only that, but New Jersey Family Magazine has also named Dr. Lowenstein as NJ’s Favorite Kids Doc.

To be quite honest, the list goes on and on. Dr. Lowenstein graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania where he specialized in neuroscience and was a Dean’s List Scholar. His medical degree comes from the distinguished University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where he also performed gene therapy research for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.

In short, you would be hard-pressed to find a more decorated orthopedic surgeon in the state of New Jersey.

Scoliosis and You

Do you have scoliosis? If you do, then Dr. Lowenstein, one of the country’s top-rated scoliosis surgeons, is here to help. Of course, not all instances of scoliosis will necessitate surgical treatment, but there are severe cases in which such procedures are the only viable solution. Before we dive headlong into what Dr. Lowenstein can do for you, let’s review the basics: What is scoliosis and what should I know as the patient?

To begin, scoliosis is best described as a sideways curvature of the spine. As previously mentioned, most cases of scoliosis are not severe enough to warrant surgery. Usually, scoliosis is easily remedied by more conservative interventions such as physical therapy or prescription painkillers. But, that’s not always how things go. This is especially true with children who have yet to hit the growth spurt before puberty.

Periods of rapid growth can turn scoliosis into a nasty progressive condition. If left unchecked, scoliosis can become debilitating or downright unmanageable. With surgery, you may be able to address this issue before things progress to that stage.

Generally speaking, scoliosis can be classified as one of the following: congenital or idiopathic scoliosis. These two types are mostly the same with the sole difference being the nature of the condition’s cause. With congenital scoliosis, the condition presents itself at birth whereas idiopathic means that the condition has no known cause. Aside from this key difference, however, there are no noteworthy contrasting factors. In fact, idiopathic and congenital scoliosis are treated using the exact same methods.

How Do I Know If I Have Scoliosis?

In the most common, milder cases, scoliosis may actually be somewhat difficult to detect. In more severe instances of the condition, however, symptoms are much more obvious. The main thing that you want to look out for is any form of physical asymmetry. This includes symptoms such as:

  • Uneven shoulders
  • One shoulder blade is elevated higher than the other
  • The waist is uneven
  • One hip rests at a higher level than the other
  • The head is not centered with the body
  • There is a wider gap between the arm and the trunk on one side compared to the other
  • The line of the spine does not appear to be straight from the back

Of course, these are just the physical manifestations of the condition. Obviously, you should also keep an eye out for any back pain that has persisted for a period of two weeks or more. It is important to note, however, that many cases of scoliosis do not cause any pain to patients whatsoever. It all depends on the specifics of your case.

Most of the time, the cause of scoliosis is not something that is determinable by your doctor. That being said, the condition is sometimes the result of:

  • Muscular dystrophy. This is a group of genetic disorders that lead to muscle weakness
  • Cerebral palsy. A series of nervous system disorders that cause problems with movement, learning, hearing, seeing, and thinking.
  • Birth defects that have detrimental effects on an infant’s spinal bones (such as spina bifida)
  • Trauma caused by spinal injuries or infections

Scoliosis: Surgical Treatment

When it comes to scoliosis, doctors typically reserve surgery for patients with a scoliotic curve of greater than 40 degrees. Of course, this isn’t to say that failure to meet this stipulation means that your doctor will refuse you surgery. It just depends on the specific needs of your case. One of the biggest goals of scoliosis surgery, after all, is to prevent the condition from progressing over time. With children specifically, there is often a great risk of this due to skeletal changes during rapid periods of growth.

As usual, there are plenty of different ways to skin a cat. Scoliosis surgery isn’t really different in that regard. However, most surgical treatments for scoliosis require some form of spinal fusion. During a spinal fusion procedure, your doctor will fuse the affected vertebrae together through the use of either bone grafts, rods, screws, and/or wires. Adjustable rods are usually reserved for children, as they are still growing. The rods need to be adjustable to account for periods of rapid growth. Of course, this means additional surgical procedures are required to adjust the rods. Typically speaking, your surgeon must lengthen these rods every 6 months or so.

As with any surgery, there are always going to be potential risks. For this reason, you should rely on decorated doctors such as Dr. Jason Lowenstein to perform your procedure. Having one of the most skilled surgeons in the country as your partner in crime will greatly reduce the chance of such complications and risks.

Contact Us

Have you been suffering from back pain that has lasted for two weeks or more with no sign of letting up? Do you notice any form of bodily asymmetry when you look at yourself in the mirror? If so, you may want to contact our offices at (973) 538-0900. With The Advanced Spine Center, you don’t just receive the medical expertise of Jason E. Lowenstein. You also have the advantage of being cared for by our talented medical staff. We pride ourselves on tailoring each patient’s individual care plan to the specific needs of their cases. Don’t hesitate! Contact our practice today!