DISH (diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis) or Forestier's

Again, I am so sorry for everybody’s pain. As we are coming to fall in the Northeast, the dampness and cooler temperatures are wreaking havoc on my body even more so. Just turning over in bed at night is a painful task. This is definitely not growing old gracefully. Yesterday I tried to do some physical stuff out in the yard and today I am really paying for it. Again. Praying for all of you each going through your own torture. 🙏❤️‍🩹

Hello @badboy. You will notice that the medical image you included has been removed. We do this to protect your privacy concerning your personal information. Thank you!

Hello,I am a 49 year old white male with thoracic dish. Would like to find a doctor who understands this. I live in Middleburg Florida if anyone has information I would appreciate it.

Hi. I’m sorry for your diagnosis .
I don’t know that area but I would see if you can find a spine specialist or a rheumatologist. Rheumatologist can’t treat you with meds that they know use but they do usually know something about dish. Spine specialist should know about the condition as well. I wish you good luck.. 🙏

@rfb1974 Hello and welcome to Connect. I'm not completely familiar with Florida, but you do have the Mayo campus in Jacksonville there. You will find knowledgeable spine specialists there. I am a spine surgery patient from the Rochester campus. I found this link that mentions DISH and it quotes my spine surgeon, Jeremy Fogelson, about DISH. Any of the Jacksonville specialists can easily consult specialists at the main Rochester campus if needed and that would be a lot closer for you.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/trauma/news/geriatric-winter-falls-when-a-simple-bump-on-the-ice-can-be-serious/mac-20451017

If you would like to request an appointment for any of the Mayo campuses, this link will get you started and someone from Mayo will call you back.

Would it be convenient for you to travel to Jacksonville?

@rebjackson I just wanted to welcome you to Connect. Have you found a spine specialist that you wish to consult?

Anyone have success taking a serrapeptase supplement for DISH-related back pain?
Hi, I'm a 70-yr. old man living in the Pacific Northwest. I started having serious hip and back pains earlier this year, so my doctor sent me for an x-ray and MRI. I got a diagnosis of developing DISH. The findings read "flowing anterior osteophytes which suggests developing DISH. There is advanced facet degenerative change in the lower lumbar spine." So, now I know the source of the pain and trying to find pain relief. Looking at any an all alternative medicines and such.
Thanks.

Hello, I have recently been diagnosed with DISH by my Chiropractor. It appears that i have had this condition for a long time. My first bone spurs were on my heels and the surgeon commented that they were the largest bone spurs they had ever seen. That was in my early thirties, since I've had issues with my ankles, one also had inflammation of the Achillies tendon where it attaches to the heel. This took about 18 months to stop hurting. Prior to that had surgery on both knees, originally one was thought to have a torn meniscus which it wasn't, the surgeon cleaned up the bones. Then my hips started locking up when walking, this has been an on and off for about 12 years. About 2 years ago I reached to take toast out of the toaster and felt a sharp pain down my left arm which left me with less mobility in my shoulder, and days later the right arm. So it took a bit to convince my doctor to do xrays of the shoulders, those and others on my ankles all they said was you have bone spurs. ok I can see a bone spur, but why is it there, nothing. One set of xrays by my chiropractor and he knew what I had. I have several bones in my cervical spine that are already fused and several in the thoracic spine. I also have curvature of the spine, never diagnosed and the top bone of my spine is not fully formed. Since one Chiropractor treatment, the mobility of my shoulders has improved. I can once again pull my own pants up. The additional surprise is that with the initial treatment from chiropractor I notice my blood surgars going low at night, and with additional time and treatment with chiropractor I am now 2 weeks off my last medication for type 2 diabetes (ozempic) and my sugars are staying pretty normal.

Hi. I can feel your pain. I too have heel spurs on the back and bottom of both heels. And I have them in the other spots that you have them as well. We sound very similar. I have not tried chiropractic care yet. My next thing to do was to try acupuncture. I don’t know why I’m a little nervous about doing chiropractic care but for some reason I feel like the bone spurs could be broken off with a bad adjustment. I go to pain management for injections. So far they are doing them in my upper /middle back and my lower back. Just recently started doing them in my shoulders. I too, was about 30 years old when the bone spurs in my heels were discovered. After that, I had orthotics made which I used for a while, but then I had a major weight loss. I was actually able to be in the gym and pool at the local Y. And that took almost 2 years to lose the weight and I was a gym rat for about seven years. I was still playing golf up to three years ago and the pain in my back I couldn’t stand anymore. I kept saying to my doctor that something was wrong. So he was going to order lumbar x-rays and I asked him to order thoracic as well. And that’s when the diagnosis of this occurred. I can’t tell for sure, but my father died in a car accident at 42 but up till then he had a lot of arthritis. He was an average size man. He also worked as a butcher, so I passed off some of the arthritis from working in the meat lockers but now I’m thinking maybe I’ve inherited it from him. But unfortunately, we never found out whether he did or didn’t have it. It’s a terrible condition to have. I am so glad that you have found relief from the chiropractor. Who knows at some point I may have to try that. I too have insulin resistant diabetes that is pretty well controlled with just metformin. Last A1c was 6.6. I find that stress in my life pushes that number up. Stress Cortisol probably pushing that up.
Anyway, I just want to say I’m glad that you have found something that helps you. That is my hope for everybody who has this that they find something to help them get through. 🙏

Hi. I’ve also been to acupuncturist as well. She spotted curvature. Chiropractor confirmed. Don’t be afraid of chiropractors. Mine studied at Palmer School. He only adjusts when needed. Gentle. Works w cervical spine w theory that if the cervical spine is correct the test if spine will self heal. In the short time I’ve been w this chiropractor I do feel my spine adjusting itself. Good Luck.