Why pain now?

[thinkinmom]

So, I too, am one of the AIS patients who wore a brace (4 years). It kept my curves stable. The head of Pediatric Ortho at the Mayo clinic "released" me and told me to "go live my life." No exercises. No follow-ups after a year. All was well. My story was over. (a least that's what *he* thought and promised to me and my parents.)

BUT...as we all know, it's not over. And now I'm 35 years old and have pain. Pain that ebbs and flows. Pain that keeps an ice pack attached to my back and ibuprofen flowing through my veins most days.

I have been going to a chiropractor for several years now. (I know, I know, controversial here). The x-rays they have taken show no significant increase in curvature since my late teen years. Only a few degrees higher on each curve.

SO what's causing the pain? And yes, the pain started before going to a chiropractor.
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FYI.. I joined this site with much relief, realizing I'm not the only adult still dealing with this. The doctor had convinced my family that I would never have to think about scoliosis again. So I thought all of my pain was just me being a "lightweight" and somehow making much ado about nothing.

Thanks for all of your input. I have already learned SO much from the other threads.

[debbei]

So, I too, am one of the AIS patients who wore a brace (4 years). It kept my curves stable. The head of Pediatric Ortho at the Mayo clinic "released" me and told me to "go live my life." No exercises. No follow-ups after a year. All was well. My story was over. (a least that's what *he* thought and promised to me and my parents.)

BUT...as we all know, it's not over. And now I'm 35 years old and have pain. Pain that ebbs and flows. Pain that keeps an ice pack attached to my back and ibuprofen flowing through my veins most days.

I have been going to a chiropractor for several years now. (I know, I know, controversial here). The x-rays they have taken show no significant increase in curvature since my late teen years. Only a few degrees higher on each curve.

SO what's causing the pain? And yes, the pain started before going to a chiropractor.
_____________
FYI.. I joined this site with much relief, realizing I'm not the only adult still dealing with this. The doctor had convinced my family that I would never have to think about scoliosis again. So I thought all of my pain was just me being a "lightweight" and somehow making much ado about nothing.

Thanks for all of your input. I have already learned SO much from the other threads.

Yep that's what they told me too. Did your chiropractor measure the new xrays? Do you know what your old measurements were? In my case after 25+ years I started having nerve pain in my leg, and severe lower back pain that was getting progressively worse. What does the chiro say the cause of your pain is? Have you considering seing a scoliosis specialist ortho Dr.?

[thinkinmom]

Well, my chiro did measure the curves, but as you know there is room for error. I don't have any of my films from back in the day. And my mom has passed away, but she would have have known the numbers by heart. Honestly, I thought that I could move on from the scoliosis, so why remember specifics? (Ignorant.)

The pain, they assume, is simply from the curve and rotation. They think that keeping the curve "happy" (my words, not theirs) is going to help. What I mean by that is keep the curve an easy-flowing curve with no additional subluxations. They think that over time, the curve will actually lesson a bit since they are stimulating the muscles and nerves.

Up until I found this site, I really didn't see a need to go back to an ortho, but I guess that's the next logical step.

[mamamax]

Hi thinkinmom,

Bet lots of us here feel your pain - sorry anyone has to deal with it, scoliosis pain sucks (big time). As a kid i cried myself to sleep over tortuous muscle spasms (all the while docs telling my parents it was in my head because after all, they said, scoliosis did not cause pain - right). Those docs did a great dis-service to both myself and my family that lasted many years. I'll bet lots of others have a similar story. After adolescence - lived two decades relatively pain free - hit my late 40's and things started going south way fast. A few well skilled Chiros pulled the bunny out of the hat more than once for me, when no one else could (including Osteopaths) - would say, when Chiros are good (well skilled), they are very very good, in my experience anyway.

Heck last year i didn't think i'd make it to retirement without going on full time disability, every day was becoming a seriously more difficult challenge. I thought curve progression responsible but others here in forum have lots of pain with even seemingly small curves. Guess there are lots of factors at play in any individual case. What does your specialist say?

Surgical intervention is certainly necessary in many cases to relieve scoliosis pain, and is in fact recommended for me (has been for many years). Long story short - my orthopedic specialist recommended the postural rehabilitation brace i'm wearing now. It is giving me my life back (steadily and progressively), literally. Along with the bracing i've been given some Schroth exercises to do (those are hard!). I'm not very good at that yet - others here have said they are worth their weight in gold. Would like to hear more from those who may use them regularly, and how it has worked for them over both the short and long term.

Good question yours - what does cause the pain? Think i will talk about that with my health care providers - i "feel" like with me, it is muscular fatigue. As a kid for certain it was tortuous muscle spasms. For now, i have an answer that is looking very good for me (while understanding it certainly may not be the answer for all). I would like to hear about this from others too. Agree - lots of very good information here in many threads. What is AIS?

Opps -

thought you were using a treatment term (AIS) in conjunction with some program at the Mayo Clinic
of course - Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis ..

yep - embarrassed! & very blond

[Pooka1]

So, I too, am one of the AIS patients who wore a brace (4 years). It kept my curves stable. The head of Pediatric Ortho at the Mayo clinic "released" me and told me to "go live my life." No exercises. No follow-ups after a year. All was well. My story was over. (a least that's what *he* thought and promised to me and my parents.)

BUT...as we all know, it's not over. And now I'm 35 years old and have pain. Pain that ebbs and flows. Pain that keeps an ice pack attached to my back and ibuprofen flowing through my veins most days.

I question the 5% figure that represents the folks who progress over the years despite being sub-surgical at bone maturity. I am guessing the real number is much higher or that a better sub-surgical angle is ~ 35* as opposed to 50* is used to determine if folks are likely to progress later in life.

I have been going to a chiropractor for several years now. (I know, I know, controversial here). The x-rays they have taken show no significant increase in curvature since my late teen years. Only a few degrees higher on each curve.

Please get an orthopedic surgeon to measure your Cobb angle. Chiros don't have the requisite training.

SO what's causing the pain? And yes, the pain started before going to a chiropractor.

My daughter's surgeon insists that scoliosis per se does not cause pain. He has some ground to stand on with this as some folks with even large angles have no pain. But I am seeing evidence in these testimonials that simply having scoliosis for years results in other damage that causes pain. It's why adults have a far harder time with recovery from surgery than kids on average per our surgeon.