scoliosis and pain?

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heather82

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is it normal to have a lot of pain with scoliosis? i was diagnosed at age 17, and i am now 25. my back is sore all of the time, so much so that i cannot sit in school or a at a job for more than an hour at a time, and standing at a concert is out of the question. recently i finally got a doctor (instead of just having to use clinics for minor illnesses), and i asked her about my scoliosis pain. she sent me for an x-ray, and although the report said my curvature was "severe," she did not agree and told me that scoliosis is a painless condition. she also told me not to go to a chiropractor and that physiotherapy would be useless because nothing can change the shape of my spine! does anyone else have pain with scoliosis? if not, what else could it be? what treatment are you undergoing, if any?

(please don't tell me just to go to another doctor; there is such a doctor shortage in canada that it would be impossible)

thanks!
 
Unfortunately, I think you really do need to go to a different doctor. (Your situation = why I don't want nationalized health care in the US!)

I have severe scoliosis which started when I was 14. I had a lot of pain from it, and of course it wasn't even severe at that point. I told my parents and asked to be taken to a doctor. They said no. So I wasn't diagnosed until age 18. By that point, it was severe, and I was too old to do much correction. I had a spinal fusion, which decreased my pain, but I still had pain everyday of my life. 28 years later, I was diagnosed with early onset osteoporosis. The osteoporosis, along with the force of the sidewarRAB pull from my still-severe scoliosis, broke down the remaining portion of my lower spine that wasn't fused. I was having more and more pain, to the point that I couldn't walk a block without using a cane, couldn't do the daily things of life without putting myself over the edge in pain, and was quickly going downhill. So I ended up having another fusion, this time going all the way down to the bottom of my spine. It helped with the pain, but I still have pain everyday and am on pain meRAB that my doctor has told me I will need for the rest of my life. I am no longer able to work.

There are some people who have severe scoliosis and have no pain, but I think it's much more common to have pain. Whether it's common or not, though, I'm very sad for you that your doctor thinks it's a painless condition. It most certainly is not for me, and clearly not for you, either!

Strengthening your core muscles might help a little with the pain, but you want to avoid any exercises that cause you to bear weight with your spine. Also avoid exercises that pull you to the side. I rely very heavily on my abdominal muscles, so much so that I unconsciously tighten and relax them to exercise them all the time. As I was sitting here typing, I realized I was doing it. I've trained myself over the years to tighten my abdominals before doing anything. Other people would use their back and leg muscles for many of the things for which I use my abdominals.

Heather, I'm so sorry you're not able to get good medical care. I've been where you are, and it wasn't fun!

I hope you can find someone to help you.
Blessings,
Emily
 
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