I remember when the screener who visited the school told me I had scoliosis. It seemed like the end of the world. Something was wrong with me? I envisioned the worst possible scenario; wheelchairs and crushed lungs. As the years went by, and there was never any pain or visible problems from the issue, I gradually forgot about it. As I got older, however, the problems started to surface. I would have trouble breathing sometimes, and a dull throbbing in my lower back became a regular problem.
I visited Dr. Baker to see if he could help me get rid of the back pain. He diagnosed my scoliosis again, and informed me that the gradual compression of the discs was now putting too much pressure on the nerves in the area. He also told me that he could gradually straighten my back enough to take the pressure off and relieve the pain.
My back will never be completely straight, of course. I will also require more regular check-ups and maintenance visits to keep things in the best alignment my body will allow. But I consider that a small price to pay to enjoy the ability to freely breath and move without a sharp, stabbing pain in my back.
He also educated me about the genetics behind scoliosis. Largely hereditary, it affects girls more than boys and there’s a good chance that my children will be faced with the same issue. But he showed me what to watch for so that I can prepare my kids and educate them rather than letting a random screening send them into a panic. We also discussed having my children checked every 6 months or so to be proactive rather than reactive. Thanks to PrimeSpine, I feel like I’m in control of my scoliosis for the first time in my life.
