kNOw Scoliosis

June is a hefty month. Besides being migraine and headache awareness month, it is also Scoliosis awareness month. Let’s stack them up together I guess..Scoliosis is a bit of a complex deformity <- don’t really like that word, so let’s change it to flaw. It is defined as a curvature of the spine but it is so much more than that because it truly affects your entire body including your mind.
You can be born with it, develop it while in your teens, or it can form it while in your adult years. It is best to stay on top of your teen’s health because the earlier you catch Scoliosis, the better and easier it is to prevent it from getting worse. While some cases are on the mild side meaning the degree of the curve is less than 20 and it will just be observed, it can worsen if the curve isn’t corrected. A moderate curve is about 20 to 45 degrees. At this point, a Scoliosis brace would probably be worn to help keep the curve from getting worse and appointments will be every 6 months to a year. A severe curve is anything over 45 degrees. The rib cage is pressing up against the lungs and it makes breathing a bit of a challenge. Depending on the case, because each person’s Scoliosis differs from the others, surgery is usually considered. Again, every case and person is different. There are NO two cases a like therefore the spine and the braces themselves will be distinct.
Symptoms of scoliosis may include:
Uneven shoulders.
One shoulder blade appears more noticeable than the other.
Uneven waist.
One hip is higher than the other.
One side of the rib cage projecting forward.
A hump on one side of the back when bending forward.
Back in the day, yes I just said that, There was a school-wide Scoliosis check. Now I don’t see it anymore. But I do see it happen during the annual physical. If not, you can always ask your Doctor to check which I highly recommend. Had our middle school not checked me, I probably would’ve found it much later than we did.

I have what is called the double curve. While I have had several spinal fusions to try and “fix” and try to keep it from curving, it didn’t help. I had more problems than relief. I still get checked to make sure my curves aren’t progressing too quickly or severely because I do have a lot of trouble breathing at times. While some may think your spine is the only thing curving, it is not. While your spine twists, so do the ribs and muscles attached to it. Therefore, we found the ribs towards the bottom of my right ribcage are causing a lot of breathing problems for me My doctor and surgeon both feel surgery would not help with the pain therefore I have not elected surgery at this time. Both of my degree curves are at a moderate level which is just being monitored at this time.

This is my last set of x-rays. I managed to survive life with it and found ways around it which I’ll get into later. For now, those of you who just got this diagnosis, or those of you who are fighting it and can’t stand the pain, stay SCOLIOSIS STRONG. This is a long-term battle. But if you were a chosen one who got Scoliosis it’s because you are STRONG enough to endure what it brings. You can handle this and anything else that comes with it. Those nights that you can’t get comfortable because the pain wakes you up, or those times you feel the rain in your lower back. Know this…..YOU ARE NOT ALONE. I know what you feel and what you are going through. Feel free to reach out to me. Send me a message on Instagram and I will help you with pain relief, venting, or tips for surviving Scoliosis as best I can.

-g