I have it. I forget which kind I got, but I curve to the right. Probably why my back and neck hurt all the time, or does not help.
Yes, Joonie, I admit it... I'm twisted!
I had a bone scan today and the tech came over when it was down to my legs and said "That's some spine you've got there, my dear!" Obviously, they saw my scoliosis. Happens any time I need tests that allow them to see my spine.
By the way, have you, or anyone else had a bone scan? This is the one that they inject you with radioactive material, then you go away for 3 hours, while it targets your bones. When you come back, they scan your whole body (at least they did my whole body. I guess sometimes they just do one section).
Anyway, just wondered if anyone else has had it, and what kind of thing showed up. After they finished the scan, they went back and took extra scan views of my ribcage and shoulders. Then they did my spine again.
I know it can show up tumors in the bones, inflammation, fractures or breaks and I think arthritis. If arthritis shows up, I'll light up like a Christmas tree
Do you have pain from your back all the time, Joonie? If so, do you take anything for it? I take a lot of pain meds because I have constant pain with mine. Let me know how yours is doing, okay?
Bet you didn't expect an answer this long, huh?
Have a good night. I need to lie down for a while. I'll try to check in later.
Hugs, Nini
I have scoliosis too Joonie. It only causes me pain rarely, but when it does, it really does.
Here's a kinda funny story for you though on how I found out. It was a couple of years ago (before any RA type issues) when I was at a ski resort with some of my best friends who just happen to be nurses. So I did ski all day in all kinds of pain with my nurse friends pushing me on telling me I just needed to keep pounding cranberry juice as they thought my pain was coming from a bladder infection. That NOT being the case, I ended up having to go to the ER. While laying there all shot up with Demeral, I overheard the med techs discussing my XRays and talking about my severe scoliosis, which sent me into a complete panic attack because I thought they said Multiple Sclerosis, which they did not of course.
I can only imagine how sorry you are that you asked this by now. Oops.... And you probably wonder why my my friends are such bad nurses...But you probably don't wonder why I do not go to them for medical advice anymore..
On a more serious note, do your RA Docs ever make a big deal of your scoliosis? Mine did initially. But neither of us have ever brought it up again recently...
Nini - You ain't twisted
Melly - Yeah... I would not go to your friends for medical advice either
Thanks for the replies guys!
Hopefully, yours doesn't look this uggy yet.Remember, I'm 59, so my back has had more years to get weird. If your doc can give you braces or exercises (though I know exercises are very hard to do when you are in pain), that might keep it from curving anymore.
Take care. I must go to be now.
Gentle hugs,
Nini
I have scoliosis to the right also.I have it but not at the point where the docs are worried. sometimes my back hurts real bad to where I can do nothing but that is usually the lower back not where the actual curving is.
It does bother me when someone comes up behind me and slaps me on the back, like a hey how ya doing. Pain right away then always without fail a migraine.
I have it!! BIG TIME. And believe me, the whole experience definitely taints the way I view doctors/medicine/aggressive treatment.
First, I found it myself, when I was 15. Put on a bathing suit, and had curves on one side and was thick as a plank on the other (because I was bent so far to one side). I saw a ped every year for checkups - how did THAT slip by?
Ortho said it was too bad - I could wear a brace and exercise, but it would just go back whenever I stopped. So he recommended aggressive treatment - Harrington rod surgery. They take a bone from your hip and use it to fuse a rod to your spine to staighten it. I was in the hospital for 19 days and started high school in a body cast that I wore for seven months.
Prior to the surgery, I was worried about the scar (it runs from my bra-line to my tailbone, plus the beauty on my hip) and looking like a linebacker for seven months. But all my mother would ask is, "What if the rod comes undone? Can it come unhooked?"
The doctors would laugh at my mother. They said I could fall out of an airplane and break every bone in my body, and the rod would stay hooked. They literally laughed in her face.
Well, friends, my rod is unhooked.
Now I'm told it is okay, it is embedded in scar tissue, it will not flop around. (Um, but first they ask, "Did you have it done here?" "Yes." "Okay then, it will be fine...")
Or this happens. I have an xray, and hear them snap it on the light box in the hall. Silence. Long silence. Then one says, "She knows."
I have noticed that since I turned 40, they don't want to look at my scar any more. Before that, I could go in for an ear infection at Urgent Care and he'd look at my chart and say, "You have a Harrington rod? Let me see your scar!" Happened ALL the time.
I do have a lot of back pain - from scoliosis or the rod that doesn't flop around, who knows?? But I control it pretty well with exercises I learned from PT. Pain meds do nothing for me except knock me out or make me vomit, and I've got too many carpool duties, etc., for that.
BTW none of the rheums think my scoliosis has anything to do at all with my daughter's JRA.
I have it and bend to the right as well. Mine is not too severe though.Yup got it too. Always makes my hems hang unevenly.Hummm... would not know if it makes my clothes uneven as my left leg is shorter than the other so I am lope-sided to the left... maybe I will be evened out now.
Oh if the back of my dress is higher than the front it is because I got a big bootay! I hate wearing dresses for that reason. The dress will hit a little below my knees and when I go to sit down my big ol bootay will make my dress come up to my upper upper thigh... it is like mooning folks in church
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