Help for my cousin

[scolioscott]

I was just wondering if anybody can offer advice to my cousin. Just spoken to her tonight and she has been complaining of back ache for a few years and (not sure why) has always assumed and tried to tell the doctor that she thought it was her kidneys. Anyway, after tests, kidneys fine. She went to a chiropractor and he says she has curvature of the spine - backwards and forwards, not side to side (her words). first of all he said he couldnt help her, now he thinks he can though it will take a while and will cost her £40 per week (which she really cant afford).

Both my daughters and niece have scoliosis so I wonder if she has the gene and possibly has lordosis or flat back but I'm not so experienced in these (very good at scolio - lots of experience there over the last year and a half!). It is also possible that she does have scoli I guess - not sure how much he can tell.

I've told her to go to her gp to get referred so she knows what she is dealing with, but does anybody have any advice and is there any way of telling what she has without having an xray. I have told them of the forward bending test for scoli, but not sure if that is appropriate for the others.

Anyway, any help welcome although I know symptoms vague.

Thanks

H :cool:

[madmclw]

Oh H, not another one!! :squeeze: At least you can be there for her having *kinda* gone through it yourself, or at least having first hand experience. I think the forward bending test does make kyphotic curves more prominant, but if it's only a mild mild curve it might not notice. I think she really does need to be seen by someone. And I don't much like the sound of the chiro's offer, especially after he changed his mind!

[Amazed Jean]

Yes I think she should see someone and preferably a scoliosis specialist since your family seems to carry the gene. It may well be that she has some other symptoms she doesn't realize are being caused by her back. I tend to mistrust the chiro's offer after he changed his mind. Wish her good luck!
How are the girls in your family doing? Hugs to all!

[GillyG]

I'm with Jean and Maddy - get her a referral to a spinal specialist and get some X-rays taken, it's the only way they can really tell what's going on. The 'forward' curve is likely to be kyphosis and the 'backwards' one lordosis, but it's important to ascertain whether these are outside of what is quite a wide normal range. And steer clear of the dodgy-sounding chiropractor :p

[scolioscott]

Thanks. Yes girls doing fine thanks Jean - clo has been referred to another chap to sort out her hamstrings. They are talking about botoxing her hamstring but in the meantime, we're starting afresh with physio to see if we can do it a more natural way without the need for more needles and anasthetic.

Met up with Emily and Jennie on Monday - girls went bowling - that was nice - will try to upload some photos.

As I thought with my cousin - she needs to get checked out and fair enough if they do send her back to the chiropractor, but I think they may come up with something else. I dont really know what it is chiros do, but can they do much for curves? Apparantly she says she's always had an issue with her posture and thinks she has a "long back". Does this indicate anything? I always thought she looked lovely - never noticed anything out of place at all!

H :cool: