Scoliosis - chiropractor? Gp? Nhs seems clueless

[GotMyGoat]

I've just been diagnosed through a chiropractor as having a scoliosis and he has advised that I start a treatment program with him ASAP as I'm near the point where i'm going to start getting disc damage . This will cost £1550, but will reduce my curvature (and so reduce pain) and include check up care over 3 years.

Problem is i'm not well off so this is actually a huge amount to spend on myself. I went to see my GP to see if there was any care available on the NHS and although she mentioned pain killers she didn't seem to think there was a lot you could do for adults with scoliosis, I'm seeing another gp today for a second opinion. I've been reading about surgery and pain clinics (not sure what this means) Does anybody know if there is any other care for long term pain/ treatment for scoliosis?

I've been in near constant achey pain since being a teenager with neck and shoulder pain, and will occasionally treat myself to a massage and have had six sessions with an osteopath once when I couldn't move my neck due to shoulder tension. I've had unbearable cocyx pain for two years (around 3 out of 4 weeks its very bad) and the last few months it has become unbearable, can't sit down without pain etc. so it does need to get sorted.

No, definitely see your GP and get another opinion. You could ask for a spinal X-ray for a start. That will be able to demonstrate any scoliosis and how severe it is. (Lots of people have this with no problems).

I'm currently attending a pain management course and just yesterday another group member told us how she went to a chiropractor sand spent a similar amount and was actually worse after three months.

Please ask your GP for some NHS referrals to find out exactly what's going on. Sounds like you have neck and shoulder pain and tension long term plus another low spine problem for last two years. So two problems.

Hope you get some answers and please keep your money.

My Aunt has this. She was told that an operation would be difficult, be very painful with long difficult recovery, and not necessarily work. She was in her late 60s, at the time and gets lots of treatment for pain now (late 70s) and has had a knee replacement.

A friend of my daughter has it also. She has had health problems from birth including growth problems, so her spine has been straightened as part of ongoing treatment. She had a term off school and is very well at the moment. It might come back, as might a lot of her other problems, but she is functioning normally at the moment.

I would see another gp and try and get a proper diagnosis so that you know what is going on. There may well be other ways of keeping yourself fit and reducing pain, that are a lot cheaper.

I have scoliosis and disc problems and would not use a chiropractor. I would push for a physio referral.

Off your main point but I always feel better if I've spent time in a swimming pool. ( I don't swim that well - it is more the relaxing effects of the water.)

I've worked closely with orthopaedic surgeons who treat scoliosis in children. Chiropractors can't fix scoliosis. It can't really be diagnosed without x rays as things like having one leg slightly shorter than the other can mimic scoliosis. Also, as I assume you are an adult and therefore not growing it is unlikely that your scoliosis will dramatically worsen all of a sudden so the needing to start expensive treatment ASAP is scare tactics trying to part you of your cash I'm afraid.
Go back to your gp and ask for a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon. Even if your gp doesn't know which surgeons locally to you specialise in spines, any orthopaedic surgeon can see you, properly diagnose you and either work out a management plan or refer you to a spinal surgeon if that's required. This will all be available on the nhs, or alternatively you could pay for a one-off private appointment to get the ball rolling.
I would strongly recommend you get your gp to refer you to orthopaedics and see what comes of that before you even consider going back to the chiropractor.

Thank you very much for your advice everyone - interesting that nobody has had a positive result from a chiropractor. They seemed so nice at the clinic (where I had an x-ray and scans so I can see they are not lying about the curvature itself!) but I suppose I do need to remember that they have a financial incentive to offer me results...

can't believe Dr. google has failed me on this one.

Since you will have paid for the scans and X-rays I hope you have the discs with the images? You can the show them to whoever you are referred to.

It was a free consultation actually, but yes I took the x-rays and scans to my gp and she didn't seem to think there was really anything to be done unless it became more severe, she didn't think it would.

My son had scoliosis & had surgery when he was 18. They like to do surgery once you have stopped growing. I am not in the UK now but I understand that the NHS would have left it as it would have been classed as cosmetic. They only really operate in the UK in severe cases. DS op was 11 hours. He has stainless steel rods in his back. It is major surgery with up to 6 mths for recovery. He was in hospital for 2 weeks & in ICU for 3 days.
He has a large scar running down his spine & another one across his shoulder.

Chiropractors can not fix scoliosis. They can help minimise some pain but only surgery is what can only help.

Your GP still needs to take your problem ie pain, seriously. Can you see someone else and ask for a physio referral? And/ or Pain Clinic. You haven't mentioned if you are taking any meds but sounds like it's the pain that needs addressing first.

Good luck.

Ask your GP for a rheumatology referral.

If a chiropractor was acting ethically, they wouldn't ask to to part with ££££ for treatment without the input of someone with proper medical qualifications and experience.

My daughter has severe scoliosis Megbeth (and will need surgery too :( ) and her specialist now does spinal surgery for scoliosis for cosmetic reasons! How is your son now? do you mind me asking?
My daughter has severe SN and we basically have a choice as to whether to have surgery or not (she will need it pre 16, she is 14 now) but I think she has enough problems without adding to them as not having surgery will cause more problems iykwim
It's a hard one, you have been very brave I feel very scared

I agree with everyone else btw OP

Owl day, DS is nearly 21 now so nearly 3 yrs since his surgery. He is fully recovered. He's at Uni, works part time & goes to the gym. It is a major operation but by 3 mths DS was able to drive. He had 6 mths off of Uni though. His spine is perfect. He actually had a hyper kyphosis which meant he had a hump back. His curve was worsening. The Drs said that he would get pain & problems later in life if we left it. He also had surgery on his chest as he had a pectus caranatum. It was a 3 1/2hr op with revision surgery a year later. He is all fixed up now. I am in Australia & our healthcare system is very good.
If you have any questions about the surgery I would be happy to help.

Really pleased to hear your son recovered well from surgery - unfortunately I have a couple of friends whom have had surgery similar (for osteoporosis, arthritis etc.) where the surgery has made their pain worse :(

I don't take painkillers atm, as I've had far too many for other ailments in the last few years and got rebound headaches, and then took amitriptyline which made me forever asleep and spaced out, and then another which made me faint and I have had enough of them! This is a sign that the pain is obviously not disabling, I am able to walk about and live my life, just not without eternal pain.

I have managed to get a referral to see a spinal (i can't remember what his proper title was, sorry) consultant about pain management now so that's good - although I was warned that there is a long list and I'm obviously not a priority.

I have a scoliosis. It showed up on a chest xray I had at 19. Apart from that my posture is a bit hunched and ribs stick out at one side and have a low shoulder. But it doesn't particularly give me pain or problems and no one had mentioned it before that xray.

I find that strengthening the midriff muscles so that you can hold yourself more erect would help, I do yoga but pilates might also work. And lying flat on the floor after a tiring day is bliss. A physio once suggested hanging from parallel bars by my arms to straighten my spine

No one should be saying "you have scoliosis, here is the treatment", they should be looking for an underlying cause first.

There may not be one, but there may be and if there is then you need treatment for that.

Was the X-ray taken standing? The reason is that physiotherapists always get a shock when they see my back when I'm standing. I look like I have scoliosis but what I actually have (amongst propper medical conditions) is one leg longer than the other. Everyone has one leg longer than the other but there is a bit more distance in mine so as soon as I sit or lie down my spine is straight (although arthritic).

I have insoles in my shoes (also have dodgy feet) that correct the difference and it makes a huge difference pain wise.

I'm not minimising your pain/condition just making you aware that things are not always as bad as they first seem.

I take amitriptoline and struggled for a while but I was then given this advice.

Take 2 weeks off work and take it every day. On day 3 you will be zonked out, not with it and want to give up. This is what most people do. Stick with it, in the second week you start to feel better and by the end of week 2 it just does its job.

This worked for me and another person I know with chronic pain.

Personally if there is going to be any manipulation done I want it done by a physiotherapist. I'd also want to know who was reporting on my X-Rays, I want a Radiologist report at some stage.

All my treatment has been on the NHS, I have had

Rhumatology appointments including X-Rays and blood tests
Physiotherapy
Hydrotherapy
Orthotist Appointments
various splints, shoe insoles and other bits and pieces
Occupational Therapy

That's good advise. I injured my neck at work and was treated for Tortocollis and last Saturday, I had 40 minutes of Acupuncture and was informed that I have Scoliosis. I am devastated have always been fit, and am going to see a Chiropractor this Saturday. However I will book a private appointment with an Orthopaedic surgeon and see if I can have a spinal x ray. I would prefer if possible to go down the surgery route as I really don't want to take pain killers or have injections, but I guess I will have to wait and see. I'm a Live In Carer, I have never done anything ie lifting that would compromise my health. My tasks are all around the house and companionship. I am nervously awaiting a final diagnosis and hope the Chinese Doctor is wrong.

Op is your chiropractor diagnosing you with functional or structural scoliosis? The former is caused by muscular imbalance and would very unlikely require an ortho referral.

Also any Chiro trainedin the UK is qualified to both take and read imaging, as well as being able to give a diagnosis. They are primary health care professionals and have the correct and legitimate training to do so.

If you feel pressured to buy a package, perhaps visit another clinician and see how you get on with them instead?

It’s a shame an earlier poster said their physio advised not to seek Chiro care, and that someone else would only seek manipulation from a physio - as it’s a chiropractor’s bread and butter.

Good luck with your care.