Scoliosis

[diamondz]

I'm 40 and found a hump around about my right shoulder blade, also it is painful and the pain seems to go in my chest as well I feel like I have been speared....
I seem to be getting less movement in my top half of my body and painful to sleep on my side.
They tell me now I've got Scoliosis, are you born with it or do you just get it???
I used to be very fit did alot of gym as a youngster and now this! Can it go or get better??

[campbellking]

Hello. You can be born with it, or you can develop it in later years. Very common for teenage girls to develop it, and it's onset can be quite insidious (there is a push to screen teenage girls for this is schools). it's unlikely to go as it's a bony curvature of the spine (as in your case is often more obvious when your scapula (shoulder blade) sticks out a bit more on one side). Any deformity of the spine affects your rib movements, which is why breathing becomes more difficult. Ask your doctor to refer you to a physio for advice on how to manage your condition.

[diamondz]

Thanks... I'll keep an extra eye out on my daughter then but she's almost 17- just hope it's not hereditary?

[wookette]

hi diamondz - my son is ten years old and is the straightest hes ever been thanx to medical intervention involving no surgery whatsoever. he was diagnosed with idiopathic ( no known cause) scoliosis when he was two. by the way,i have a fifteen year old daughter and shes fine. my son has had similar symptoms to yours as this condition cased his ribs to rotate - his spine was like a corkscrew but mildly so. we were told that it could stop in its tracks or start up again - no way of knowing really.depending on where u live u could ask ur GP to refer u to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Middlesex who deal with all things skeletal. good luck