Scoliosis

[MilanMiller]

I am 36 and have scoliosis - S shape.  My upper curve is 35 and my lower curve is 37.  I use to run marathons even though my doctor did not approve.  Over the last year my back has been causing me much more pain so I have reduced my running to only 2-3 times a week, no more than 3-4 miles and have begun to practise Bikram Yoga at least every other day.  My doctor had been encouranging me to do yoga as much as I want and I must admit (up until last weekend) it had been helping.  I had gained more flexiabilty in my spine and I was not having any more pain.  But, last Friday at yoga something went terriably wrong.  I noticed half way through class my back was stiffining up.  It just would not move.  there was no pain, it just wouldn't move at all.  I couldn't even push my hips forward.  I finished class as best I could, still no pain, but by the time I got home, I was so stiff and in so much pain I could not stand up straight.  I was litterally leaning to one side and could hardly walk!!  I iced, took a celebrex and went to bet.  Saturday - much the same.  I could not walk straight at all Saturday and couldn not equally distribute my wieight on my legs.  It was very difficult to stand and was  a bit embarasing.  I walked a good bit Saturday afternoon as that was really the only thing that helped.  It seemed as if the more I walked, the more my back would loosen up and allow me to stand straight again.  I took celebrex again Saturaday and by Sunday it was much better.  Does anyone have an idea as to what went wrong or what happened?  How can I prevent this from happening again?

[PawPen]

I know surgery of any kind is scary,especially near or on the back.My daughter had surgery on her back for scoliosis when she was 17.My daughters curve was over 50degrees.My daughters clothing did not fit right,her shirts would twist,when she wore a tight shirt the hump from her back was really visiable,but the worst part was she starting being in constant pain!! The doctor also said as she got older it would become so severe that it could cause breathing problems,heart problems,and problems with other major organs because everything is all out of wack due to the spine being so deformed.It was one of the scariest times of my life when she had her surgery because this was the first and only one she ever had;but let me tell you IT WAS WORTH IT!!!! Her back looks totally normal,she feels better inside and out, and the best part is that she has given us our beautiful granddaughter with no complications at childbirth. So please,for your sake and your futures sake; go have a second or even a third opinion and if you need surgery,search for the best doctors and GO FOR IT.

May God be with you whatever decision you and your doctors make,and I hope all goes as GREAT for you as it did for my daughter if you decide on having the surgery,

PawPen

[MilanMiller]

I had new xray's and an MRI last week.  My thorasic curve has increased to 44 degrees.  He said the disk looks fine, but I am having disc degerneration in my lower back that is being accelerated from the scoliosis.  He did confirm that my description of recent pain was a muscle spasm and most likely due to the spinal curvature.  Has your mother had surgery?  That is the only option that I have left to correct the scoliosis.  The doctor advices against it because I have great flexibility and mobility even with my high degree of curvature, but I hate living / looking like this.

[Jaybay]

A muscle spasm is like a charley horse - a muscle, or group of muscles, rebels and clenches up.  Massage would be a great thing for you to look into.  Scoliosis puts a lot of strain not only on the spine, but on the surrounding muscles.  They're asked to do things they weren't really meant to do.  My mom gets spasms all the time - usually on the one side that gets overused due to her scoliosis.  And yes, that can cause you to not be able to stand up right.

With scoliosis, your chances of bulging discs are increased, but the tingling sensations are not necesarily due to a slipped disc.  Any pressure put on a nerve can cause that - even a clenched muscle.  You might speak with your doctor about checking your back out with an MRI and see if anything new is going on in your spine.  If you continue to have problems with muscle spasms, a muscle relaxer might help you as well.

[MilanMiller]

Thanks for the info.  What is a muscle spasm?  That might have been it because it felt like the muscle from my lower back all the way to under my shoulder (on the left side of my spine) was one giant knot.  Can that make you leave over and prevent you from standing up straight.  It was wierd and quite frightening.  Maybe I should have a massage!!  How can you tell a difference between muscle spasm and a slipped disc?  I was somewhat worried that maybe I had "slipped" something because I had a few pin pricks going off on various parts of my body.  One in my big right toe, another one in my right pinky finger, and another in my left but.  Wierd isn't it?

[Jaybay]

Sounds like a major muscle spasm.  Try applying some moist heat before you exercise to help loosen those muscles up first.  It wouldn't take long - just 15 minutes should be enough.  I've even seen some back supporters that have pockets for heat packs - can't remember exactly where though. Maybe at the pharmacy.  Anyway, something like that might work to warm you up on the drive over.  Then hit the ice after your workout.

Anyway, that's my guess.  Hopefully some other folks will have some other ideas to run by you.  :-)