I'm 21 years old and have finally been diagnosed with scoliosis.
I have 15 degree scoliosis at the below the base of my neck vertebrae towards the right.

I have been having neurological and digestive symptoms that have me very concerned.
I started having these symptoms just over 1 year ago.

It all started when I went to canada to visit my aunt and I had started excersising. One night I woke up in the night and felt extreme nausea and I got out of bed to walk to the bathroom when I started feeling like all my limbs were numb, felt light headed and weak, my nails were purple, had the shakes, and tears were automatically pouring out without reason. I also noticed my breathing and heart rate increased.

Of course during all this I called for my aunt and was explaining what was going on. She said it was most likely an anxiety attack and I would be fine. I'd never had anxiety attacks ever in my life and whatever it was woke me up from my sleep and it lasted for over 3 hours!:O

Ever since then I have been having these "episodes" some hours or even days after I have been angry, sad, frustrated, stressed, sat in a certain "bad posture" position too long or sat on really firm furniture.

I have also not been able to eat certain foods anymore. I cannot drink milk or I will have nausea, gas(by burping) with bad stomach pains and intestinal cramps for a day or two. I am able to have other dairy products though, like ice cream and yogurt and some cheeses.
I also cannot eat any sweets anymore or anything with high sugar.(no soda, cookies, syrups, chocolate, candies including gum, sweet tea,etc.)If I have sugary foods the back of my head had the sensation like It's swelling up or floating, and it can cause episodes also.

My menstral cycle has also been irregular and have had hot flashes.
And last but not least if its really hot outside or too cold I will have episodes.

It's like my bodys sensers are out of whack or dalayed or something whenever anything changes.

What can you make of all this?

Very concerned,

~Laura~

Oh, I wanted to also tell you...

My estimated diagnosis' have been:

1. Fibromyalgia
2. Anxiety/Depression
3. Gastroenteritis
4. Early Premenopause
5. Pinched Nerve
6. Scoliosis caused symptoms, is the most recent one.

I have seen:

1. My Family Doctor
2. A Councelor
3. A Cardiologist, because I had been put on a muscle relaxor and I ended up with an extremely high heart rate and in the emergency room because of it. My heart rate had went just over160 on the PulseOx machine!
4. A Neurologist

None of which could find anything wrong with me and pretty much went along with what my regular doctor was guessing at, which was basically that everything is in my head.

5. And finally 2 moths ago, thank goodness, i saw an Orthopaedic doctor.
He told me all I have to do is go swimming at least 3 times a week to strengthen my shoulder and upper back muscles and he prescribed me Neurotin. I see him again in mid September.

I've been feeling some relief so far in some of my symptoms but am still concerned and puzzled by them.

What do you think?


Thank You,

~Laura~

Hi Laura,
Sounds as though you have been through the ringer. While I would never attempt to diagnose you over the internet, I would love to shed a little light on your situation.

Most people believe that scoliosis is "musculo-skeletal" disease. It is in fact much more than that. In the majority of cases there appears to be adverse tension on the spinal cord and the spinal nerves due to abnormal motion in the vertebra, skull, and pelvis. With tension on the nervous system there can be symptoms to numberous to mention.

I do believe you have gone through great lengths to get to the root of the cause. However, I do think there is futher help out there for you. I think it would certainly be in your best interest to be evaluated by one of our CLEAR doctors. It may shed more light on the cause of your symptoms and also help to alleviate them.

We are here if you need further assistance!
Yours in health,
Dr. Bosler

I too have odd symptoms. I am 27 and have been having strange symptoms mainly for the last couple of years.

I only found out I had Scoliosis when I was 23, after I lost feeling in my left hand (it did come back!). I have a 40 degree curve yet doctors say I shouldn't experience any pain or have any problems!! Their dismissiveness of me made me think that I was over sensitive and that the pain was in my head.

I have recently had to leave my full-time job as typing and working under pressure caused problems such as my neck and shoulders completely locking down for days as if I had whiplash and another problems that lasted 3 months. I had no idea it was because of my scoliosis but i started having massive constant pressure headaches and episodes - i thought I was dying! i had an MRI, heart monitor, blood tests etc and everything was fine. My boss thought it was all stress and the doctors seemed more interested in blaming stress than scoliosis. I got so sick of being questioned and made to feel criminal, that I found an excuse to leave.

The main other constant problem I have noticed over the last couple of years is extreme indigestion, I have been unable to eat big meals at night - I have moved onto quorn instead of meat and chew food more now, just to try and aid digestion. The feelings I get if I eat too much, too fast or the wrong thing (sweet food or meat particularly) is that my stomach becomes hard and painful, I have tightness in my chest and difficulty breathing then I get spasms - like electric currents running from my chest to my head, and a feeling that I am going to pass out (or that I'm slipping away).

I also get these spasms or episodes at night when I am about to fall asleep- they seem to be brought on not just after food but by smoking, or sitting too long or in the wrong position, looking at someone when not face on etc. It's the most scary feeling i have ever had and I only just recently found out that it could be becasue of my Scoliosis.

I live in the uk so I guess I can't really get help from the Clear Institute but its good to know that in America at least, awareness about the extent of what Scoliosis can do to an individual is increasing and people are realising surgery is not a good option.

Hi woowooo,
It sounds as though you could use some help with your scoliosis in hopes of relieving some of your symptoms. You can most certainly receive help, it just involves a two week trip to the US. If you click on the locate a CLEAR certified doctor, and choose an Intensive treatment doctor.
We are working on a CLEAR location in the UK, it is still in the works though. I will post here when the location opens.
Best wishes,
Dr. Bosler