I have scoliosis and osteoporosis--a surefire recipe for back pain when combined with PD.

A problem with scoliosis is that the muscles on the concave side are shorter and tighter than on the convex side, and the muscle rigidity of PD adds even more intense pulling on the spine.

I went to a chiropractor for years and it did help temporarily, but now I fear that he did more harm than good as there's a lot of crunching of bone against bone now. I also have found help from yoga and deep tissue massage, but none of those were helping enough. I couldn't stand for more than 10 minutes without pain. I was having to take NSAIDS and apply heat to my back every morning just to get through the day.

I finally asked my doctor to refer me to physical therapy and it has helped me tremendously, as I have followed through with the recommendations. My therapist helped me figure out an exercise program using one of those large exercise balls and I now do exercises twice a day with the ball as support. My massage therapist says that the muscles on the short side of my back aren't nearly as tight as they were before PT. I am also able to stand up straighter and longer without so much pain. Every day I do stretches and torso twists that help ease the tightness. I no longer rely on NSAIDS.

Don't know if this will help you, because we are all so different, but it might be worth your while - if you have insurance - to seek a referral to physical therapy because a physical therapist can figure out the mechanics of your particular situation and things you can do to alleviate the problem.

Good luck!

Judith