Scheuermann's Disease and Pregnancy

The entire time I was pregnant with my fifth child, I had an aching pain in my back between my shoulder blades. Because I had an infant at home, I didn't think much of the pain. I simply attributed it to being pregnant and carrying around another infant.

After I had my son, the pain continued. I asked my doctor about the back pain during a postnatal appointment. She did a manual exam of my spine and sent me for x-rays and a CT scan. A few days later, I got a call that I had been diagnosed with Scheuermann's Disease, a condition that causes the vertebrae in the spine to form in an abnormal way. That scared me because the name made the disease seem serious, but in most cases it causes only mild pain and sometimes a rounded back. I quickly learned, however, that with physical therapy and a few lifestyle changes, I could live with the disease.

My doctor prescribed anti-inflammatory medications to help ease the pain. At first, I was skeptical, wondering how those would help. I soon learned that they work quickly if I take them within a few minutes of the pain starting. I also discovered that if I was going to be very active during the day, I should take one before leaving the house. Even a day of cleaning the house warranted taking an anti-inflammatory.

Currently, I am five months pregnant. I have been fortunate to have been able to deal with the pain from this condition without having to take the medication during the pregnancy. I use ice packs and heat compresses on my back when it starts to hurt. I also use some of the stretching exercises I learned in physical therapy. My husband rubs my back often, which also helps to curtail the pain.

A few of the other lifestyle changes I have implemented include resting often during the day, taking a nap and not picking up my toddlers as often as I once did. My toddlers aren't suffering at all because of my changes. Instead of picking them up, I sit on the floor to play with them or they climb up in our oversized recliner to snuggle with me. I still cook and clean the house as I have always done, but instead of doing it all at once, I break it up into 15- to 30-minute increments with a rest break in between.

As is the case with some other chronic conditions, a few lifestyle changes and a positive attitude make day to day survival possible.