My back diagnosis and back pain help.

I've been receiving emails from friends and family about my appointment with the neurosurgeon yesterday. Thank you for all your prayers, emails and concerns. I really appreciate it.

So the results are two things.

One, that curve (from side-to-side) that my chiropractor first found on x-ray, which the neurosurgeon also saw on the CT scan, is Scoliosis. I guess it's more predominant in women (2%) than in men, and for some people, like myself, I have it and it's unexplained. Ugh. So I have a curved spine which could be the culprit behind my back pain. He's unsure. But he does know that I have a herniated disk in my upper back, which is rare in the thoracic spine, but it's there. Ugh again. Good thing is, he doesn't think surgery is necessary because I'm not in excruciating pain and it's been slowly "herniating" (for lack of a better word) for a long time. It's just an annoying all-the-time dull aching pain which really is a pain. That's all. Some days are worse than others and I have noticed it hurts a lot more after a day working at my desk (in my very uncomfortable chair).

Thankfully the results aren't any worse than they are because I would be freaking out right now if I were to have back surgery. Good grief, I'm only 32. Neil's question was, "what now? Do we just wait for it to get bad?". And my answer was "I don't know?". I didn't ask that question. I guess I should have but when you're there and in shock after being told what you were just told, all the appropriate questions don't just pop into your head at that time like they should. But he said that if/when the pain gets worse, to see him. (Ugh again.)

At least I have answers now. It just doesn't seem right that I have to deal with this pain, but the flip-side of that is surgery and I do not ever want that. The doctor said at this point surgery would be worse than better for me. So I'll just deal. At least it's not a tumor or infection, which the doctor pointed out that that is not what this is. Thank God.

Speaking of all this, did any of you see the report on Good Morning America this morning on neck alignment and blood pressure? The report was on the very thing that I talked about a while back with my own neck and how it's at a -2 degree when it should be at a 45 degree angle. (Imagine a banana being pulled backwards -- that's my neck!) The chiro thinks my headaches, sinus infections all the time, etc., are a cause of my neck being so extremely out-of-whack. That is exactly what this report was about this morning. Made me realize that my chiro himself is not wacko (like some doctors seem to think) and that I'm there for the right reason. Hopefully I'll get my neck back into place sooner than later (and my back, too!). Here is the report.

Then I also found some other articles which, if you suffer from back pain, you might want to read:

This one was the most intriguing for me! How Your Chair Could be The Culprit
Three Minutes a Day to Keep Back Pain Away
Herbal Cures for Back Pain
Back Pain? Don't Sit Up Straight

The doctor gave me a copy of my CT scan on CD but I can't seem to get it to work. My computer is not recognizing any of the files. I thought it would be fun to share my back with you all :c) I'll try it on Neil's PC.

Thanks again for your cares and prayers.