Is this to do with my crappy posture, or something worse?

[Elibean]

I seem to have an increasingly twisted back, and increasing stiffness on one side of my ribcage...it seems to slightly affect my breathing at times (diaphragm on that side not moving as well as it should) and if I'm very tired, it can result in very painful muscle spasms under my shoulder blade.

Osteopath is slightly baffled, thinks probably result of long standing bad posture and mild scoliosis, but is sending me to specialist in New Year for MRI/consultation. He says I've got less muscle mass on that side of my back, have very stiff ribs, and a poorly functioning diaphragm. He's also somehow got me worrying it might be something organic, and imagining vast tumours doing bad things from further in than mere spine/ribs...though I keep reminding myself thats unlikely if its not always hurting/stiff in the same place. I do have a slight cough on/off, and am a bit short of breath at times.

I had shingles (on other side of my body, and higher up) in October, and have been very tired since - though much better than I was. I also came off HRT at the beginning of September, which might conceivably have been protecting me from stiffness etc.

Any reassuring noises or sensible thoughts welcome while I wait for the appointment in January, please!

ps I'm 50 with two scarily young DC, if that makes any difference!

scoliosis can bugger around with everything in back/neck... you need to speak to GP about on going cough and shortness of breath though.

I've got scoliosis and ti screws with my neck. back, hips, legs, anything.

I also have a twist which means when I'm in pain, I find it hard to breathe too.

Gp trips and maybe Xrays to see if the curve hasn't changed.

Thanks, blinks. Very mild scoliosis, osteopath sceptical about it impacting much - but it does run in the family (my sister has a disc missing between two vertebra, and my neice has spina bifida, my 82 yr old mother has a bit of a hump on one side of her ribcage at the back etc).

The cough has been on/off since a virus in September (which may have been swine flu) and I saw the GP about it at the time. Its got better, gone away, sometimes comes back - but to be fair I've been somewhat viral pretty much since the shingles. Perhaps I should get it checked out again, though.

x-post - thats interesting, AVMPC. Its the twist I'm most of aware of, and its definitely seemed worse in past few months - possibly the extreme exhaustion of shingles made my already unimpressive muscle tone even worse

GP trip it is, to check lungs, and think the back man (ortho surgeon, but specialises in backs) will either x-ray or MRI. Thanks.

I had a major back flare up a year ago, that's when the twist became very apparent.
At my worst, my chest,neck and head are looking over my right hip. A good 45° twist!

Ouch. Well, it could well be the same sort of thing - I had major flare up after the shingles, I suppose. My ribcage seems to twist to the right, my right shoulder rolls forwards/down to the left, and my right hip does the same as the shoulder.

I've had the vague feeling that my right side isn't the same as my left for years and years, but now its very distinct. Eek.

How is your back/pain now? Do you do anything in particular to manage it all? I suspect Pilates would be a good start for me..did loads years ago, and I'm sure it helped general stability.

Was going to suggest Pilates. I haven't had a serious flare up in over 6 months and I'm standing straighter.

Ah, thats good to hear! Well done, and thanks.