Scoliosis Support Group
Scoliosis affects all ages. Unlike the naturally occurring curves in the spine, scoliosis causes the spine to curve abnormally to the left or right.
Hello, all! I'm a 20-year-old female who has had back pain on and off since I was five, was braced at eight, and had Harrington rods put in from T3-L4 at 12, at which point the pain became permanent.
I recently got an MRI (which showed nothing due to the rods interfering with the film) and a CT scan, which showed two bulging discs, spinal outgrowths narrowing the L5 lateral recess and the left-sided intervertebral foramen (where the nerves leave the spinal cord), and a compressed thecal sac that is on the low side of normal (apparently just barely meeting the criteria for 'low normal'). All of this is only in the lumbar region, since the rods prevent a good look at the rest of my spine, but given what I've found about disc bulges online (from multiple sites), it's probable I have at least a few in both the thoracic and cervical portions of my spine as well.
Most of the exercises suggested for this involved arching or otherwise bending my back, which is - and I quote - a "solid bony fusion", which obviously cannot bend. The one time I tried one of those exercises I literally lost consciousness from the pain.
I'm already on Tramadol (100 mg every 8 hours) and have tried both NSAIDs and muscle relaxants, to no avail. Complicating things, I'm allergic to acetaminophen (go ahead and laugh), which is in most formulations for opioids.
Has anyone else gone through this, and if so, how did you deal? Am I doomed to this the rest of my life, especially since there's nothing that will show the thoracic or cervical spine? I'm only 20; I don't want to live like this.
I recently got an MRI (which showed nothing due to the rods interfering with the film) and a CT scan, which showed two bulging discs, spinal outgrowths narrowing the L5 lateral recess and the left-sided intervertebral foramen (where the nerves leave the spinal cord), and a compressed thecal sac that is on the low side of normal (apparently just barely meeting the criteria for 'low normal'). All of this is only in the lumbar region, since the rods prevent a good look at the rest of my spine, but given what I've found about disc bulges online (from multiple sites), it's probable I have at least a few in both the thoracic and cervical portions of my spine as well.
Most of the exercises suggested for this involved arching or otherwise bending my back, which is - and I quote - a "solid bony fusion", which obviously cannot bend. The one time I tried one of those exercises I literally lost consciousness from the pain.
I'm already on Tramadol (100 mg every 8 hours) and have tried both NSAIDs and muscle relaxants, to no avail. Complicating things, I'm allergic to acetaminophen (go ahead and laugh), which is in most formulations for opioids.
Has anyone else gone through this, and if so, how did you deal? Am I doomed to this the rest of my life, especially since there's nothing that will show the thoracic or cervical spine? I'm only 20; I don't want to live like this.
cornerthree
You are not alone, long spinal fusions cause disc degeneration. I am so sorry that you are so young and going through this. I am private messaging you.
deleted_user
I also have degenerative disc disease (bulging discs) below my fusion. 21 years ago, at age 21, I had spinal fusion with rod placement (T5 through L2). The disc disease is now in L3, L4, and L5, which was diagnosed about 7 years ago. My pain isn't bad on a daily basis. About every 4-6 months, I have a severe back spasm that renders me helpless for about 2 days. The important thing for me is to make sure I do not sit still for any length of time. The more I move, the better I feel. I have to be careful about the way I lift heavy objects. Stretching my hamstrings and lower back is essential. If your hamstrings are tight, the worse your pain will be. Also, keeping your abdominal core strong is very important. I'm hopeful that my pain will not worsen over time. Best wishes to you!
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