23 y.o. w/kyphosis recent chest pains, PLEASE respond

[kyphosisguy]

Hello everyone, this is my first post in this forum and I am very happy to have found this place for support. To give a little background on myself: I'm a 23 year old male who has had I would say mild kyphosis for quite a while. I always just thought it was a normal thing to have to constantly pop my back to make it feel better/straighter until a couple years ago. My physician didn't even diagnose it without me saying could you look closer at my back it feels curved and I'm constantly having to pop it. Then after he looked at it closer he said oh well you're right, it looks like you have a mild case of kyphosis. (hurrah for doctors, right?)

I didn't think this was a big deal until around July of '08 when I noticed I was having some slight chest pain. I figured this was due to my curvature so I did waht I always do. I went to the weight room, lifted weights to straighten my posture, and it did indeed help. However, I haven't had time to go to the gym as of late and my chest feels the same again, unless I'm standing up or sitting perfectly straight.

I am worried... Could this kyphosis permanently have damaged my heart? It's weird, frequently my chest feels a little tight, I then pop my back, and then it feels completely normal again.

A side note: I just got married a year and a 1/2 ago and me and my wife are on the bare minimum insurance that is reserved for emergencies. And we both have (thank goodness) only one more semester left of college then hopefully we can start working in our careers and get insurance for doctor's visits...

Please give advice, hope, honesty, anything. I worry..

[LindaRacine]

Hi...

Severe kyphosis can cause heart damage, but it doesn't sound like your's is very severe. Your chest pain should be checked by a doctor. There are plenty of reasons beyond kyphosis.

Regards,
Linda

[Karen Ocker]

It might not be your heart but your stomach/esophagus. Can you visit your student health clinic and have an evaluation there?

[augemac]

kyphosisguy,

Well I have scoliosis and recently was having my breast bone hurt often. Well I went into the dr and they discovered I have kyphosis about 75 degrees. Well it is because with my scoliosis curve and kyphosis the rotations of the curves is causing my breast bone to hurt and I also can pop it when I just take a deep breath. But when I do stretch exercises it feels better for a while.

Possibly, maybe your at the end of a growth spurt. I had male friends in their early 20's still growing. But probably from change in the bone area. Hopefully soon you can get some good insurance! Good luck. I think your heart is probably fine but that is just my opinion, not a dr.

[kyphosisguy]

Thanks for the replies guys. I could go to the campus school nurse but that's about it. I'm just constantly having to pop my back. Do you guys experience this?

I dunno if I have lordosis or kyphosis. But I can pop my lower back by tightening my stomach and pushing it inward with my hands. Strange huh?

[jimoleary]

Hi Kyphosis Guy,

I got the Kyphosis deal...too...I'm about 46 now...

You just learn to roll with the punches, my friend...

I'm sure that discomfort and odd feeling will subside...eventually...as your body learns to adjust to the shift...better...

Please do, however, find a way...to get a decent evaluation...cuz' us Kyphos are all different...and I'd want some kind of re-assurance...you are not progressing into a more serious situation...

Damn, I don't know how to get you some kinda x-ray evaluation, that won't run $100-$200...

I know its been 2 months since you posted this...so maybe you have figured things out...by now...best of luck...

[aktech23]

I'm a 36 yo with developmental kyphosis (scheuermann's kyphosis)

It makes my head stick forward and my shoulders slump a bit.

I have "s" scoliosis also.

Have you seen a physical therapist? it has helped me to stand up considerable straighter, you would hardly notice the kyphosis anymore.
working out with kyphosis could be complicating you as you are working out with bad posture.
before PT I couldn't even force myself to sit/stand straight.
i have never experienced any chest pains, but my back pain is awful.

i never had the pain until around 30.

[augemac]

aktech23,

Have you had spinal fusion done? Curious because I had a slight kyphosis and now it has increased but I have a S curve also. I have been fused T3 -L4. Wondering what they did for you at physical therapy. I have a lot of pain in shoulders and up.

[aktech23]

no surgery here, my curves aren't that bad, both are 20 degrees

PT made my neck hurt and my shoulders still hurt.

i did three months of about 8 hours a week at PT.
you get out what you put into it.

where the muscles attach to my skull it hurts. hopefully steaches will get rid of that eventually. it seems that being more upright is pulling here.

PT said increased pain is to be expected before it gets better. I'm doing everything on my own now as it gets $$$ going all the time.

I'm 36 and they worked me really really hard streachs, weights, exercises.

I was sore as heck from that. it helped my lower back and my shoulders a little.

mid back not at all.

One of the therapists got angry at me when after three months i was still saying i only felt 30% better. this angered me incredibly.

it is not my fault they don't like how i feel so I stopped going.

I got the "if we arn't helping why come here" after dropping $1500.00 ... well you can guess how that made me feel

isn't the medical system fun :D

[Snoopy]

I'm surprised that with 20* Kyphosis that your head sticks forward and your shoulders slump a bit. I've always been told that normal Kyphosis is around 40*. My daughter's Kyphosis before surgery was in the 70* range and her head did get pushed forward and her shoulders were very rounded.

Mary Lou

[aktech23]

I'm surprised that with 20* Kyphosis that your head sticks forward and your shoulders slump a bit.

those are my two scoliosis curves, not the kyphosis curve.

A good stretch for Kyphosis is chin tucks.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2279498_do-chin-tucks-rehabilitation.html

hold for at least a slow count to five, repeat 20 times.

keep your chin/head level.

[Snoopy]

What degree is your Kyphosis?

Mary Lou