My Adult Scoliosis Story

[Pooka1]

Scott it seems like there are too many obstacles in the way of you working with the researchers. If it just frustrates you, perhaps it is best to move on considering there is no clear path between what you are doing and coming up with a treatment. You can try PT for pain and hopefully never need surgery. The people faced with surgery or bracing are on the wrong side of the firing line and need help yesterday. I think the researchers are probably focusing on those people first.

[sjmcphee]

I'd like to explain more definitively what I mean when I say 'I know how my scoliosis works'.
Then I will explain the reasons why its pointless for me to try to go down the conventional path of trying to write a credible research document.
And then I will explain to you how there is a link between what I was trying to do and treatments.

Let me be clear about what I mean when I say 'I know how my scoliosis works'.

My scoliosis is one that during the ages 0 to 25 I had developed a 1cm LLD and an related 11 or 12 degree spinal curvature.
At age 25 I injured my spine in a manner that changed the previously normal functioning operation of my spinal column into an altered state.
This 'altered biomechanics' was one in which an initial structural change created an element of lordosis inside kyphosis; 'instability' within the spinal column; and that the instability worked as a cycle of bad structural loading that encompasses the biomechanics of my entire spinal column and systematically causes my scoliosis to progress, by purely mechanical means.
Its a cycle of a seemingly infinite number of small almost undetectable mechanical adjustments occurring within the spine that systematically cause the spinal column to slowly curve and buckle.
Although a structural change has occurred within the spinal column, there is no change to range of motion and the normal function of these mechanisms.
The structural change that created this 'instability' was enabled (in part) by the spines natural movements (flexion / extension, lateral flexion and rotation of the trunk).
It may be fair to say that the spines natural movements were used in such a manner that caused stress upon and worked against the spines natural curves in order to cause the initial structural change, and transfer a lorditic element into thoracic kyphosis.

I understand the exact movement and forces I placed upon the spinal column and muscles in order to create this initial intervertebral change within the structure of my spinal column.
This means that I understand the fundamentals behind what is required to recreate this structural change in a sufficiently accurate fully functional 3D model.
Understanding the exact physical characteristics of this structural change is a somewhat complicated process however, and needs to be determined through modelling.
It has to do with the rib facets, hence the reason I said 'excellent description' the other day regarding the statement that the 'ribcage acts as an anchor'.
Determining the precise configuration is aided in part by the 'true anterior/posterior loading vectors' which are an understanding the geometrical characteristics of the loading of the entire spinal column which we're learned later and are 'keys' to determining the level of axial rotation and loading at each vertebral level across the entire spinal column, at any given time.

From a patients point of view, what I felt was a small structural deviation that was locked in a strange skewiff position between T3 and T6.
Even though it was locked up in this strange skewiff position I could tell that it was unstable as it seemed to be changing and that the deviation was becoming more exaggerated.
I began to see that it was becoming a small concave and convex; and from the point of view of 'instability following a system within the spinal column', a concave on top of a convex systematically changing to become a convex on top of a concave and back again.
I tried to exert all kinds of ranges of motion and distorted movements upon my spine in order to try to fix this structural deviation and I observed some characteristics about the problem.
When I placed forces on my spine that worked to try to straighten the concave, it increased the pronunciation of the convex, and conversely, when I placed forces on my spine that worked to try to straighten the convex it increased the pronunciation of the concave.
It felt as though the concave or convex on the upper side of this structural deviation (in either configuration) controlled loading in the lower half of my spinal column whilst the concave or convex in the lower site of this structural deviation controlled loading in the upper half of my spinal column.

So, after observing the concave on top of a convex systematically changing it was beyond any doubt that I had created a structural problem within my spinal column that was systematically getting worse.

As I've alluded to previously, I was also able to understand how this 'system of instability' worked, as I was able to make sense of the method to which the series of structural changes that followed occurred.
Its not humanly possible to remember the precise state of my entire spinal column at any given time during this process of instability that's occurred over the last 17years, though I was able to understand it at the time that it occurred and I did so for many years, however there was no way to keep a record of it.
(Just trying to remember the level of axial rotation on a significant amount of vertebrae at any given time is quite a difficult human task.)
There are ways in which to calculate this data though, of millions of small structural adjustments, there are shortcuts, tricks if you will.
The level of complexity is extremely mind-boggling, its not really for humans to comprehend, and it's not something that can be easily explained in english.
Its something that needs to be demonstrated within the context of a significantly accurate full functioning spine model.
As I said previously, the original structural change was enabled (in part) by the spines natural movements. (other factors such as the existing spinal curvature may have contributed)
In the same way, the system of instability that occurs as a result of this initial structural change is also enabled by the spines natural movements.
There's a correlation between natural movements of the spine in this process in the way it translates to vertebral loading.
(flexion / extension = compression / tension; lateral flexion = shearing force translation (adjustment); rotation of the trunk = axial rotation)

I have genuine reasons to believe I can transfer this knowledge of 'altered biomechanics' to other curve patterns, though I'm not certain or convinced it even applies to other kinds of scoliosis.
I've never physically evaluated other patients scolioses in which I could make any kind of determination.
I don't know for sure if other patients have 'altered biomechanics' and if they do when it occurs in degrees curvature, and this knowledge would confirm or disprove some hypotheses I have about AIS.
I am lead to believe that a growing spine under these altered biomechanical conditions may cause a scoliosis to increase in magnitude more rapidly.

Let me explain why its pointless for me to try to go down the conventional path of trying to write a credible research document.
I don't have any of this data that would prove what I'm suggesting, I only have the knowledge of it, so technically I'm unable to write any document (including accompanying 3D models) that would prove anything.
The method for which I would get that data is one in which I would generate it from within the model itself.

So unless someone takes it on faith that I can do what I'm suggesting and provides me with the resources that are required, I cannot prove anything I'm suggesting.

Link between my research and treatments:

What you need to consider is that every advancement that has occurred in the history of scoliosis treatments is based on trial and error.
My research (if it applies to other types of scoliosis) brings an opportunity to bring real understanding in every area of diagnosis and treatment.
Diagnosis techniques would be based on 3D imaging that included a complete biomechanical assessment of the curve pattern.
This means that bracing based on the exact requirements needed to effectively reverse the curvature can be developed, instead of from trial and error.
It also means that far more effective methods of surgical intervention could be developed and achieved.
And it also means that we can bring real understanding to alternative treatments methods and hold them to more stringent account.

So yes, I actually DO know exactly how my scoliosis works, and no, I cannot prove it, and just because I can't prove it doesn't mean that I'm not permitted to say it.
And yes, there are reasons why I cannot simply go down the path of writing a credible research document, and why doing so is somewhat pointless, so consider this your document.
And again, yes - there are most certainly clear potential links between my research and treatments, but the research first needs to be completed.

I'd like to explain to you how I WOULD envisage being able to prove that statement "I know how my scoliosis works" if I had the right resources available to me; and apply that knowledge to other patients and treatments but I'm going to have to save that for another day.

And yes, I am trying my best to move on, I'd truly love nothing more than to give this problem to someone else to deal with.
But you know its really hard to push aside the idea that any chance of real help for all of you and your kids might disappear if I do.
Or maybe it's just because I'd really like to prove I'm right about scoliosis, or maybe even prove that everybody else was wrong about me.

[Pooka1]

Scott, it sounds like you are basing your knowledge on how your back feels. Please consider that the proprioception you are trusting is fooling you. As a long time student of dressage, I can assure you that what you are feeling isn't necessarily what your body is doing. That's why even Olympic riders use mirrors. If they can't trust their sense of feel as to what their own body is doing then please consider someone who hasn't honed their proprioception may not be getting true feed back either.

This may explain why you think certain things about your scoliosis that might differ from what the researchers who are modeling the biomechanics are working on.

Just something to consider or not.

[sjmcphee]

I'm not mistaken in regards to what I've been a witness to, I even had workers compensation for the injury.
For what I wrote yesterday their are literally millions of smaller pieces of evidence during the last 17years that not only make up my understanding but also continue to confirm it.
There's a whole entire universe of knowledge that I cannot begin to impress upon you I've been a witness to.
During this period I have of course questioned whether or not I'm right, whether I really have witnessed all this or not and its around this point I get angry at myself for even considering it, I know far too much.
I don't really have questions about it, its a perfectly defined system and everything makes sense.
There's no way I'm wrong about my scoliosis though I can only speculate on others.
Second guessing myself or doubting what I've witnessed is like stepping into a world of insanity because I'm 100% certain everything I've said about my scoliosis is true.

Saturday, October the 17th, 1998.
I knew in the first week what was wrong Sharon.
I knew before I was even diagnosed with scoliosis on the 30th.

What you need to understand that no-one else has ever witnessed or understood the true anterior posterior loading vectors.
There's a geometrical basis for all the bad loading that occurs in the curve pattern, (mine anyway) and I've continually witnessed this time and time again during the course of the years whilst x-rays were confirming progression.
It was the reason I could make sense of the entire loading of the spinal column at a given point in time, otherwise there's probably no way I could've ever done it at all.
Its far too complicated and there are too many things to account for.
I used to test myself, predict what it would do, so I was continually testing and refining my knowledge, then I just got to a point where I knew everything.
I just sat back and watched as it unraveled.

There is also one other explanation.
It's that you and probably everyone else as well with everything you've seen and witnessed in this quest for understanding with scoliosis, is that your mind simply cannot comprehend or entertain the idea that I may in fact be right.
To even consider that I may be right completely goes against your belief systems. You can't fathom it and like me, will not second guess yourself.
(This the ultimate reason why I think nobody including patient organizations would stand up and support me, and also that they valued their reputations more highly and feared losing credibility if they did.)
You've already accepted in your mind that no-ones ever going to make any sense of scoliosis so what you've all developed is a little bit of a loser's mentality.
Not only that you'd have to seriously look at the idea I've known all this for nearly 20 years and then you'd have to question just how much has been lost in that time.
You may think that there aren't any known answers for scoliosis but this does not mean that the answers don't exist, because they most certainly do.

I already have mine.
I have 'Un-Idiopathic' scoliosis... and Idiopathic specialists and researchers... Idiopathic peers and patient organizations...

[burdle]

Hey Sharon,
If professional charitable infrastructure hasn't been set up to benefit scoliosis patients, the question is why not?

On this point I believe it is because the term 'Scoliosis' is too vague.

A lot of people will have degenerative scoliosis especially as we are all living longer and some have just been told that they have scoliosis but all they have is a slight no-progressive curve with no symptoms at all. This unfortunately clouds the condition of a progressive AIS scoliosis with pain.

If we had a different terminology which excluded those for whom a crocked spine is of no consequence then we might get more attention.

[sjmcphee]

I want to explain another thing to you all.
For me right, the things I've stated I know are true, or at least from your point of view you must acknowledge that I believe they are.
So when I come here as a patient, and I'm disbelieved or the onus of proof is placed upon me like Sharon always immediately does,
Its like... say a person was a victim of a crime, and then they went to a support group.
And all the other people in the support group called them a liar because there was no proof or because the perpetrator would not confess.
If that person was made to feel like a liar, they wouldn't hang around in that support group very long would they?
This is kind of how it is for me.

But I'm not ignorant, though I can only guess at what you all think..
Some guy comes in here like some 'scoliosis theorist' and says he knows it all..
Sharon's only saying what you're all thinking anyway, "Prove it!" right?
I know if I were if everybody else's shoes that's what I'd be thinking.

I know that often I come across short tempered, stubborn minded, opinionated, sometimes rude, and blunt.
I'm here I say my piece and then I'm gone again; but that's a reflection of the way scoliosis and this situation is for me.
Dealing with this particular topic in my life is not easy for me, and I'm not my normal self when dealing with it.
Its only the topic of scoliosis which turns me inside out and makes me act the way I do.
It's the reason why I also run away from dealing with it all the time.
On other topics or in my normal life when I'm staying away from scoliosis issues, I don't get all wound up and act the way I do when I'm here.
What I'm trying to say is on a different forum... Id probably come across as a lot more normal.

But you all must know by now I'm not unintelligent, and that I do understand the spinal column, spinal biomechanics and things about scoliosis well enough.
I write these long rambling posts not because I want to, because I have to, that's just what its like to be in my shoes.

I'm never going to say I was mistaken about what I've witnessed.
I know I'm right about my scoliosis, but honestly, I truly don't have a clue whether or not what happened to me applies to AIS.
I don't know where my 'knowledge' fits into the whole big picture.

PRO - I do have a right thoracolumbar curve pattern and this is probably the original reason why I associated my scoliosis with AIS.
Because one of the known things about AIS is that it comes in defined curve patterns.
CON - No-one else has described any kind of initiating structural incident that set forth a system of bad structural loading like what I'm saying about my scoliosis.
So I'm not convinced that what happened to me also happens in AIS, I'm not.
PRO - A whole industry of chiropractors believe that there is a structural problem with scoliosis don't they?
Why else would they apply de-rotation techniques and perform spinal adjustments?
CON - I knew from day one that my spinal columns biomechanics had been impaired and that the scoliosis would continue to progress.
And this doesn't happen with AIS patients always either, a lot of them come good, don't they?
PRO - Researchers have hypothesized lordosis in kyphosis, I know this is true, because I witnessed it.
CON - A spinal surgeon told me when I asked about 'altered biomechanics' that AIS patients may not have the "out of balance" component until around 40 degrees, where as adult scoliosis patients occur around 10 degrees.
But he said my questions were ahead of the literature and I also have to say I'm not sure he completely understood what I meant.
I do know that I was never diagnosed with any kind of 'altered biomechanics' by any specialist so I'm not sure they are aware of what I'm referring to.
...So I really don't know.

And do you guys really want to take the chance that I really did know something important and the knowledge was overlooked because I wasn't given due diligence because I was a patient?
And don't I deserve answers too? They don't even have a valid scoliosis category I fit into.

I tend to think in a mindset of "How to cure my scoliosis" rather than "How to prove what I know about scoliosis".
So I think about all the enormously technical things I would have to take into account to ACTUALLY do it and I think that way.
"This is what needs to be done, why aren't you doing it? and why isn't anyone listening to me?? ...Dammit"

But sometimes I can't see the trees for the leaves.
Probably the most realistically important aspect I should be thinking about which is really whats ultimately important to everyone else is "Whether what I know applies to other patients and whether I can show any evidence of this 'altered biomechanics' in those patients."

I need to do a physical examination of other scoliosis patients myself to see if there's any evidence of the 'altered biomechanics' I'm saying applies to my scoliosis.
Or even photos or videos, I REALLY need to have a good look at them for myself.
If what I'm saying (which is well known to me) exists in other patients then I should have no trouble finding evidence of it that I can show to others.
Certainly in a physical examination I'd be able to tell if the 'altered biomechanics' is there.
If I cant find it, its because it isn't there.

That way I won't need to prove everything I know about my scoliosis if I cant find evidence of it occurring in others.
You wont get to prove me wrong about my scoliosis, but I'll know for sure whether or not it applies to you or not.

CRITERIA: Right Thoracolumbar curve patterns preferably less than 20 degrees that have not undergone surgery, that's what I need to see.

[sjmcphee]

Hey Burdle,
Your comment was to Sharon but the comment you were responding to was from me, though I would like to hear Sharons opinion.
I've got plenty to say about the current state of scoliosis on the internet, and fundraising, and I was going to respond to your earlier comment, I just hadnt gotten that far.
I was waiting to sort some things out with my hosting company before I addressed that topic.

For the sake of professional charitable infrastructure, I don't think it really matters if other types of scoliosis are included or not.
In some ways having all the types of scoliosis blanketed together may even be more helpful, because a lot more people will relate to the charity and support it.
That isn't to say that individual groups in different kinds of scoliosis can't have their own 'individualised' funraising ventures either, like for example:

I'd suggest something like a main scoliosis charity, with professional fundraising activities, but within that charity you have smaller sub-groups who manage charitable events during the year for different kinds of scoliosis.

Take a look at these websites.
Take a good look at what you could have.
http://demo.rockettheme.com/joomla-templates
I can install these websites complete in about an hour and that's the time it takes to upload the site using ftp.
It actually takes me about 5 minutes of actual work to do it.
When I had developer membership there I could've given you the template and installed the site for you FOR FREE.
Most of the work is done all you have to do is upload a logo, set up menus, and use the pages already created to swap out content.
They even have matching forums for the websites and you can combine the site and forum logins so the one login works for both.
http://demo.rockettheme.com/phpbb-styles
You can link from articles directly to the forums and easily add video and content.

You can use third party design companies to make all your logos flyers and promotional material.
http://www.designcrowd.com.au/

This guy even owes me $1000 worth of specifically designed 3d images for scoliosis and I can have hundreds of other images from him to use.
http://www.sciepro.com/

You could take charge of your own existence on the net and change everything if you all wanted.

You could have crowdfunding campaigns to pay for all this anytime you got off your backsides and did it.

So that's why I say its incompetence.
A simple failure of leadership and vision.
A lack of organisation.
I don't want to come across as being disrespectful to the very people that HAVE been given their time and made efforts for scoliosis, but I'm not going to play the issue down for their sake.
There is a huge difference between what is being done, and what should be done and this isn't the first time I've said it.

Though the forum here has been maintained (and I know this is a huge effort on behalf of the people who do it) this site itself hasn't been upgraded since facebook was invented, and scoliosis.org is like the best domain there is.
What are you all doing?

Really when I think about it, if National Scoliosis Foundation isn't willing to do these things, and take scoliosis on the internet seriously, then it should give up the domain name scoliosis.org and give it to someone that will because it needs to be done.

[sjmcphee]

This is what I want to see.
Notice the relationship between vertebrae and back muscles is ABNORMAL
I want to know if patients with AIS demonstrate the same structural problem as my scoliosis does.
(Please note: In a normal standing photo you won't see the structural problem as defined)

Also here's my original x-ray report after I was diagnosed.
Xray Report October 98

[sjmcphee]

If you really want to create a comprehensive patient education products you'll need a lot more than $20,000. That amount is barely enough to just plan out all the contents you wrote about, let alone actually create the assets.

Even if you succeed in developing assets, that is no guarantee any organization will use any of it. Generally, legal issues (Especially in the U.S.) will probably prevent supporting/using content that was not created by them or cannot be properly referenced according to the organization's guidelines. Each organization has their own set of rules and guidelines on how content can be created and sourced/referenced.

So you can continue to develop educational material but I don't know if any organization will back you or use that content. Is it your goal to just share what you know or have an organization use your content?

If you really want to do this, I'd guess your best bet is to develop your brand through social media and develop a following, not just blindly create content expecting people to find it.

Hello green m&m,
I did actually plan out a lot of the contents which needed to be done already years ago, but creating all the articles itself is a whole different matter.
As a person with some web design experience its the task of building it that appeals to me, not necessarily owning or running it.

So I thought I'd share my list of topics for a scoliosis website, if they may be of use to the people who administer this site.
Its by no means a complete list, (maybe others can add to it) and I'm not actually sure that I ever settled upon what was the best was to display or link all this info together, with videos, animated presentations and links to forums for discussion.
For example you might have a topic "Bullying" and link to a forum thread where parents discuss their kids being bullied,
And this is true for many of the articles, so there's a lot of ways you can link all the info together.

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[sjmcphee]

The idea of creating and designing a 'dream' scoliosis website like this is almost like creating a work of art.
Putting everything that has to do with scoliosis in its correct place is quite a challenge.

I'm giving some thought to building a fully functional test version of this site with fake text (Lorem Ipsum).
I truly think its time that something was done about the quality of scoliosis websites on the internet.
Do you all realise we only make things worse for ourselves leaving things this way?

Our health condition needs a facelift on the internet, and we need to better take care of our own if we are to find a way to make use of professional fundraising ventures.
If we have any plans at all to make things better for ourselves, then this HAS to be done.

[rohrer01]

This is what I want to see.
Notice the relationship between vertebrae and back muscles is ABNORMAL
I want to know if patients with AIS demonstrate the same structural problem as my scoliosis does.
(Please note: In a normal standing photo you won't see the structural problem as defined)

Also here's my original x-ray report after I was diagnosed.
Xray Report October 98

Scott,
12^o is NOT moderate scoliosis. It's BARELY scoliosis measured by chiropractors, not a radiologist. Your curve has to be 10 degrees to even be considered scoliosis. So your case would be EXTREMELY MILD if you do indeed have scoliosis at all. I believe the margin of error for scoliosis is +/-5^o. So you may not have scoliosis at all. I can stand and easily bend myself to have more than a 12^o curve. I hope you have been seen by a real doctor and have had a follow-up x-ray read by a radiologist. It would be interesting what it says. It sounds like this chiro was scaring you into coming back for treatments that, in my own opinion, could cause scoliosis.

I'm by no means putting you down, so don't take it that way. I felt it when my lower curve started to move. My clothing felt different and I noticed a difference in my gait.

[Pooka1]

Scott,
12^o is NOT moderate scoliosis. It's BARELY scoliosis measured by chiropractors, not a radiologist.

Rohrer, good catch.

I think there is a very good chance Scott doesn't have scoliosis AT ALL. Hopefully the chiro hasn't screwed Scott's mind beyond recovery.

Oh. my. gosh.

Scott, free your mind and the rest will follow..

[Pooka1]

It would be very sad if Scott was obsessing about a non-existent condition for years just because he went to a chiro and not an actual doctor.

Chiros should NOT be allowed to use the "Dr." title. The UK cracks down on this for a reason.

[sjmcphee]

Scott,
12^o is NOT moderate scoliosis. It's BARELY scoliosis measured by chiropractors, not a radiologist. Your curve has to be 10 degrees to even be considered scoliosis. So your case would be EXTREMELY MILD if you do indeed have scoliosis at all. I believe the margin of error for scoliosis is +/-5^o. So you may not have scoliosis at all. I can stand and easily bend myself to have more than a 12^o curve. I hope you have been seen by a real doctor and have had a follow-up x-ray read by a radiologist. It would be interesting what it says. It sounds like this chiro was scaring you into coming back for treatments that, in my own opinion, could cause scoliosis.

I'm by no means putting you down, so don't take it that way. I felt it when my lower curve started to move. My clothing felt different and I noticed a difference in my gait.

Hey Rohrer,
I didn't take any offense (not from your comments anyway) and plus you're on my list of nice people, so I hope you're doing alright.

That was the report from my first back X-ray, I've had plenty over the years since then, slowly and steadily increasing.
I even had my own full-size X-Ray light at one point that I bought second hand off eBay, so I could photograph them (before they went digital)
I'm fairly certain I'm in my 20's now, but I cant exactly remember and I'm as curious as you all are to find out.
I want to guess and say 24 degrees, but I'm scared that I might be being generous.
I have a long term doctor I've been going to for well over 10 years, though he wasn't my doctor until a couple of years after I was diagnosed.

The reason I added that report was more for the timeframe, if you look at the dates you'll see that I did go and see a chiropractor in the weeks following my work injury.
It was the first time I ever went to a chiropractor too and the reason I did was because 'I'd put my back out at work'.
I did get a weeks workers compensation but unfortunately I cant easily show you guys any record of it.

And yes I know you guys are probably looking at my photo with spine envy and wondering what the hell I'm making all the fuss about. I'm sorry.
But somethings different with my scoliosis compared to others biomechanically I think, but I'm not sure.
I did have another look at google images for 'scoliosis photos' the other day, and mine does look a little different, just how I said earlier in this thread.
The scoliosis patients shown do look more like their spinal column is bent but not broken, where mine looks more broken, but not so bent.
I almost wish you guys could know me outside of the group a little, I'm not the crazy person I act like on here... (Well maybe a little, but a different kind of crazy)
I'm not the type of person who will open their mouth and say something unless I know I'm right, and I don't take bets that I'm not likely to win.
I've got an IQ of 127, no genius, but not unintelligent.

I never really got taken in by the chiropractors, I quickly realised they couldn't fix the structural problem that had been created.
But I did go maybe half a dozen times in the early days after I was diagnosed.
My mum paid for a few different treatments here and there and was trying to help.
And I didn't mind the adjustments too much, it felt like it loosened me up a little.
But ultimately I knew they were just taking the money and it wasn't going to amount to anything long term.

I have started to feel a slight change in my gait over the last 6mths to a year, though when I say slight, I mean its probably not even noticeable to anyone else but me.

Been up all night playing around with my practice scoliosis website trying to figure out how best to organise everything...
Time for bed...

[rohrer01]

Sharon, it would be really sad because this upsets him so much. It would be GREAT news for Scott, though, if he doesn't have scoliosis.
They do follow-up x-rays for a reason. It would catch it if he were just not standing straight. Sometimes even a muscle spasm can make it look that way.

My grandson had a follow up x-ray for foreign body ingestion. They were following it to make sure it passed. His first and second set showed what looked like a developing scoliosis. The last one, my daughter said the doctor told her his spine was straight. He still needs to be watched, especially with his anterior rib hump.

My scoliosis was "discovered" by a chiropractor because they are cheap. My scoliosis was really obvious, though. This chiro was honest and didn't claim he could fix me. He referred my mom to PCH (Phoenix Children's Hospital in AZ). Then she DID take me to real doctors at PCH, a four hour drive one way!

Scott, I would really recommend that you get in to see a scoliosis doctor or at least an orthopedic doctor and get new x-rays ASAP and see what they say. If it turns out that you don't have scoliosis or still have a very mild scoliosis, your ideas still may have helped someone even if it were only to encourage them to investigate and ask questions. What I'm saying is you haven't wasted your time on us. But, you may have worried excessively about your own to your own detriment. You've had a LOT of stress and anxiety over this. It may turn out that you have another condition that is causing your symptoms that has gone undiagnosed because you assumed it was scoliosis. It's more common than not for scoliosis NOT to hurt. I would be saddened if it were something that were treatable and you've suffered all these years. :-(