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    At approximately what degree of curvature do they believe that surgery is necessary? In addition, my son says he has absolutely no pain at all.

    Thank You

  • #2
    Hi,
    I have a 14 year old son with scoliosis. His March x-ray showed his curves at 44 upper/42 lower. From what our ortho doc has said and from what I have read from others on this forum, it appears bracing may be an option if/when the curve(s) reach around the 20-something stage. Everyone is different, progression seems to escalate most during growth spurts. In my sons case, the doc told us he feels surgery would be the best option, as his curves so far seem to be progressing about 1 degree per month. Every doctor is different, from what I have seen surgery may be recommended anywhere from about 35 degrees on, once it gets past around 60 our doc said surgery may be even more difficult. It's a very personal and scary decision to make, what works for one may not work for another, etc. I am trying to search for alternatives to surgery as we wait for next appointment. This forum has been great, I've only been on a couple of weeks and have met some really nice people who have helped me with finding info, questions for doctor, and hearing others experiences with bracing/surgery has been immensely helpful. Your son seems to be in the early stages but keep careful watch, scoliosis can accelerate suddenly. Don't hesitate to get an evaluation if you notice misalignment in shoulders, hips (one may appear higher than the other) ; or shoulder blade/rib (one sticking out more than the other. As for pain, some have it some don't. My son doesn't seem to be in any pain, maybe neck soreness once in a while. I've heard stretching & excercising may help manage pain, flexibility and strengthening back muscles. Hope this has been somewhat helpful, please keep in touch as we all learn from each other.
    Flowerpower

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    • #3
      Hi....

      The cutoff for surgery is different depending on the child's age and the type of curve. In general, most surgeons don't recommend surgery for anything under 40 or 50 degrees.

      The vast majority of kids with scoliosis do not have pain.

      Regards,
      Linda
      Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
      Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

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