Expert: J.R. Strecker, B.S., D.C. - 8/8/2008

Question
Hi, thank you for taking the time to read this. I understand if you are not able to reply, but I am desperate for an answer.
I've had scoliosis for about 14-15 years(since I was 9 or 10). I am only 24 and already have back problems severe enough to quit my job. In the past year my back has gone out 4 times(once while I was simply cooking dinner, doing thing extraordinary). Again, if I was 30 years older, I wouldn't be as concerned, but I am so young! I was also recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia(chronic pain and fatigue). Because of my spine's curvature I have generated a hump at the base of my neck, and my head sort of sits too forward. This causes tension on my muscles, as they have to work twice as hard. I am almost constantly in pain, and medications, ice pads, head pads, and analgesics(ibuprofin, aleve, icy hot, muscle rub, etc) have had little effect.
I am seeing a chiropractor, and it has really helped with  especially hips/lower back area. But I am still having to deal with my neck being all out of whack. He said there's nothing he can do about the hump, but if I roll a towel under my neck and lay down, everyday, it will start to go back in to place. Is this true? Is there anything that can help to straighten the back out through natural means?
As well as painful it is embarassing, and I feel sort of like a freak. I long for a straight neck.  Is there anything I can do? Or am I just going to have this hump forever?
Thank you so much. :)
Namaste,
Beth

Answer
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Hello B.,

I’m sorry to hear about your frustrations with the “hump” on your neck.  I admire your determination to do everything possible to prevent your scoliosis from progressing via natural means, such as chiropractic.

Depending on the severity and location of the scoliosis curves, yes, some patients may develop a “hump” around the backside of their neck.  I have one particular patient with scoliosis who also is very vocal about being self-conscious about the “hump” on her neck.  You’re not alone with your feelings.  But to be completely honest with you, this “hump” is quite unnoticeable by others.  Of course if you call attention to it by telling others about your frustrations, they are going to notice it.  However, the “hump” is usually not something people notice when you don’t mention it – something true about most people’s body insecurities.  Almost everyone has a body area they tend to be a little more insecure about, but in reality, no one really notices the area unless you constantly vocalize your dissatisfaction with it.  The more you frustrate yourself with the appearance of the “hump”, the more you are going to want it to disappear.  So although it’s easier said then done, try not to let it get to you.  Also, be sure to not overwhelm yourself with how it will look as you age.  That is only going to build to the frustration.  Just to put you at ease a bit, since you’re already at a skeletally mature age, it probably will not become dramatically worse, even after a few decades have passed.  So the good news is that even without treatment, your “hump” has likely stabilized for the most part.  

As a side note, one thing I’ve noticed as being a doctor is that we all have something that really bothers us – whether it’s a runner’s bad knees that force him/her to give up their hobby, a patient’s headaches that inhibit his/her work and family life, a constant electrical pain into the arms or legs, a digestive problem inhibiting a patient’s social life, etc…  Patient’s tend to be more bothered when their condition has more noticeable external features, such as a “hump” on the back of their neck.  One thing that really helps my patients cope with their ailment is when they understand how common it is to have some sort of condition affecting their daily life.  Again, much easier said than done, but try to not let it affect how you feel emotionally and focus all or your energy on preventing it from getting worse and keeping the rest of your body healthy, which it sounds like you’re doing.  
Regarding what you can do for the “hump,” ask your chiropractor for some scoliosis stretches if he/she has not already given you any.  Remember, the stretches will not necessarily reverse your curvature, but may prevent it from getting worse.  Because of the S-curve, talk to your chiropractor about which side is which, because the way you do your stretches is directly related to the direction of your curve.

For your neck, you may want to do some “chin-slides,” seen here: http://www.ehs.utoronto.ca/Assets/ehs3/ergoweb/exercise/neck1.gif.gif  
You mentioned how your neck is already starting to shift forward.  This occurs in a vast majority of the population with aging.  Again, these exercises will not necessarily reverse any curvature changes, but may prevent the curves from worsening.  As your head becomes more directly over your body, the more likely it will prevent the “hump” from worsening since everything is connected.

You may also notice a lot of relief for the “hump” and any neck pain with traction treatments.  You chiropractor may already traction your neck.  Some offices have fancy traction machines, but even just wrapping a towel under the head and neck regions while laying on your back and having someone gently pull the loose ends towards themselves will help dramatically.  

And lastly, there are some chiropractors that claim to specialize in scoliosis correction.  Keep in mind, further formal research is needed, so do not seek these chiropractors out with the mindset that they will, in fact, fix your scoliosis.  However, I have seen some impressive results with some patients.  Also keep in mind every doctor is different, and every patient responds differently to care, so individual results will always vary.  One group of chiropractors that take an interesting biomechanical approach to curvature correction is Pettibon chiropractors.  You can find out more about this technique here: http://www.pettibonsystem.com

Though any promise to correct your curves should be taken lightly, you are definitely doing the right thing by doing your research and talking to different doctors.  Keep it up and best of luck with your therapy!

Dr. J.R. Strecker, D.C.