Scoliosis

[sunshine]

Anyone else have it? I just found out today. Since about November I have been having really bad pains in my lower right back. I went in to a chiropractor on Monday and he took some xrays. I went in today and looked and WHOA! THere is a nice 15 degree curve to my lower spine... but my upper spine has completely straightened itself out (which Dr. Bruce thinks is interesting)

Anyway, he is recommending 12 adjustments to start fixing the problem... boy am I achy tonight (just had one this afternoon)

Has anyone had success with adjustments?

 

[HedgeMom]

My husband has scoliosis and chiro is the only thing that keeps him pain-free.

 

[tunes]

Ditto what Hedgemom said. Chiro keeps me functioning.

 

[Catherine&Kuma]

I had scoliosis when I was younger, but I grew out of it. My brother had it really bad (his shoulders were different heights and one blade stuck wayyyy out), so he had to wear a brace for a while. It didn't really work and then he had to have back surgery to straighten his spine! It was pretty scary stuff, he was in the hospital for a week and they implanted a titanium rod along his spine... but he is totally fine now, and now he is taller than me! There are obviously different levels of severity with scoliosis, and his was pretty extreme!

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

I have "injury induced" Scoliosis ..the last time it was checked out, it was 25 degrees in one direction and 26 or so in the other.. like an ..S...

I am contemplating Chiro now ..after all these years of being terrified :confused2:

 

[ChilliBean]

I had it as a child and went from 20 degrees to 48 degrees in 6 months. I had to have spinal fusion to correct it. I was told by my orthopedic dr. that chiros. were to be avoided. Maybe that is b/c I had surgery, but I totally listened.

I had the surgery in 89 when I was 16 and was great for years, but eventually the pressure of the fusion caused vertebrae deterioration which in turn caused pinched nerves.

 

[Chinzilla]

I had a 42 degree curve in my spine when I was born. The original prognosis was that I'd have a rod put in my back at the age of 16 or so. Instead, I wore a trial back brace every night for 6 years (I was a guinea pig) and the curvature went down to 7 degrees!!! The back brace was a 1/4" thick fiberglass brace on my entire torso that bent me the opposite way of my curve as I slept. Totally not comfortable as a 2-8 year old...or at any age for that matter.

Now it has stabilized (after additional years of growth and being out of the brace) around 20-25 degrees and I don't even get it checked anymore. I used to do chiro, but don't really need it.

I always heard growing up that a lot of people have curves up t 15 degrees and never know it and never have a problem.

 

[sunshine]

Wow... see... I love this chiro that I have. He is great and friendly and explains everythig.. but my problem is that my insurance will only cover 5 visits a year and he wants to see me 12 times. So... I'm thinking of going to talk to my regular doctor to see if physical therapy will help with something...

I dunno.

 

[tunes]

I was told by my orthopedic dr. that chiros. were to be avoided. Maybe that is b/c I had surgery, but I totally listened.

That's because most doctors are too closed minded to believe anybody could do it better than they could. I, luckily, have a doctor who believes it's in the best interest of the patient to seek avenues of therapy that will afford you relief from your pain, rather than worrying about his fragile ego.

And before anybody gets offended, I've worked around doctors for the past 25 years. I speak from experience on both fronts.

 

[ChilliBean]

I actually did go see a chiro a few years ago. I was having a lot of pain and was frustrated with not finding someone to help me.

She was doing the initial exam and was going down my spine feeling everything. She got to where one of my hooks sort of pokes out of my back and said "these are awfully high up." She was not an orthopedic doctor and I did not trust her after that remark. It just instantly set off bells for me and I never went back.
I ended up finding a great back dr and he is wonderful and actually very open minded. If I don't agree with him or want to try other things, he listens and is never negative. We have discussed acupuncture and deep tissue massage and even the inversion tables to ease the pain in between my injections.

I am only speaking of my situation. My dr that did my surgery told me no chiros b/c they could actually damage what was done (the rods and hooks). He was the nicest doctor and I went to him until I was too old (he was a pediatric ortho.).

Tunes, I do know what you are saying though about their egos. I am lucky now, but I had to go through so many to find the good one I have now.