Oh HECK! My NECK!

There are
many kinds of
NECK PROBLEMS
with various causes.

I am happy to report, this photo does NOT represent my particular problem.

HOWEVER, scoliosis is often accompanied by some interesting neck issues.

A lot of us 'scolis' get straight necks which protrude forward in addition to our twisted backs.

"Normal" necks look like this:

Necks of the scoliosis crowd generally
(but not always)
look something like this:

Guess which neck is mine!

In other words,
us scoliosis folks have a curve where we shouldn't (in our backs)
and have NO curve where we ought to have one (in our necks).
Sigh.

I originally went into physical therapy for my afflicted neck, not my back, in the 1980s.

My P.T. would do a nice long session of cervical repair work and I would be functioning again!

A month later, I would return, often unable to move my head to the right or left.
More repair work.
Off I'd go.

This pattern continued until I developed issues in the lower spine which served to add variety in my P.T. sessions. Neck & back. Back & Neck.

Finally, my P.T. suggested the Saunders Cervical Hometrac Unit to help my problematic neck. This device provided gentle traction to my cervical spine. With ongoing use, the neck pain went WAY DOWN. It's expensive, but definitely worth it! (Check eBay!)

This is NOT me with a mustache,
but you can sse my Saunder's Hometrac Unit

Once I started doing Pilates workouts, my neck troubles dissolved completely. I figure that these exercises gave me enough muscle tone to hold up my skull + weighty brains, in spite of my weird neck.

Since surgery, that dastardly neck of mine has been blinking those old 'red light' pain signals.

On Friday, my physical therapist looked at my x-rays and reported that I have SERIOUS TROUBLE throughout my cervical spine (neck). He described the issues very scientifically and in great deal. I'll admit it was wee bit depressing!

I told him that I could GUESS my options . . .

OPTION #1: Fusion of the cervical discs.

OR

OPTION #2: A life-long commitment to
hardcore exercises that stabilize the neck.
Mr. P.T. Extraordinaire said "Bingo!"

Well, I choose
Option #2!!!
And I plan to keep choosing it,

day after day ...


year after year!