Other lumbar scoliosis patients w/50'ish curve

[structural75]

Iberg,

Unfortunately the neural foraminal stenosis will not get better on its own so long as the curvature from the scoliosis is not addressed. It's the lateral curve (sidebending) and compression that will cause the gradual narrowing of the opening where the nerves are exiting the spine between the vertabrae. If in fact that's what is going on, then addressing it sooner than later will yield better results and prevent further boney deformation and complications neurologically and otherwise (disc problems/facet conditions/ect.).

More inquiry with your Doctor is probably a good idea... find out exactly what the situation is via imaging scans and discuss your questions concerning age... . There are options for approaching this non-surgically at first... BUT given the length of time you've been living with the scoliosis, surgery may be a realistic necessity considering the symptoms you're experiencing (symptoms are the near end result, if not the end, that something has been compromised. Contrary to common belief, it is not the beginning of a problem, but one of the first 'audible' signs of its presence... which often preceded the symptoms by months or years.). It may prove to be a worthwhile solution at this point to consider both options in logical sequence.

Nonetheless... if you were to pursue the issue further with your Doctor you could be trying less invasive methods to see if they help/have affect with the problem in the meantime. Best wishes to you and everything will work out, take it one step at a time.

Kind Regards,
structural

[KristyH]

45 degree lumbar curve

Hi,

I am 21 years old and was just diagnosed with scoliosis about 4 months ago. I have a 45 degree lumbar curve and we discovered this when I went to the doctor last summer complaining of lower back pain. I was in the hospital in the summer of 2005 because of an extremely sharp pain in my lower back that caused me to fall to the floor and I wasn't able to get up. I was taken to the hospital where I waited for 8 hours to see a doctor. By the time I got in, I was in a wheelchair and I was literally convulsing in pain and the doctor said I was having muscle spasms and gave me tylenol 3 and naproxen and sent me home. I asked him to do an xray at that time because to me it didn't feel like a muscle pain. He said an xray wasn't necessary. I couldn't walk for a week after that. I went to my family doctor for a second opinion and he looked at my back and noticed it was very crooked looking but also said an xray wouldn't be necessary. I was almost pain free for about a year until last summer when it started again. I had to go to my doctor and demand an xray and he finally sent me for one. That's when I was diagnosed. However he only xrayed my lower back and I believe I have a thoracic curve as well and I should be getting upper back xrays next week to find out.

Anyway at this point we have no idea how quickly my curve is progressing because they weren't willing to xray me a year and a half ago. I have been referred to an orthopedic surgeon but the wait time is at least a year. I may be travelling to Ottawa sooner to see a specialist there. I still experience lower back pain when I stand or walk for more than 20 mins or so. I also get a lot of sharp pains in my left rib area. My first xray shows the ribs on that side are pretty much sitting on top of each other where on the right side they appear to be spaced far apart. Anyway I am going to post a picture of my back in a new topic if you'd like to check it out.

KristyH
45 degree lumbar curve
unknown degree of thoracic curve
21 years old
Nova Scotia, Canada

[debigolebiwski]

Pain.......?

Hi

I can relate. My curve was 18 degrees at age 16 and my doctor told me I was done growing and it wouldn't progress anymore. I have very bad back pain when I was 20 so I went to a new doctor. My curve was now 33 degrees. He only wanted to do xrays every 2 years and didn't seem to care that I was in pain so I found a GREAT doctor at the University of Pennsylvania. I had xrays done in June and my curve is now 44 degrees. He said I'll probably need surgery, but wants to watch it for a few more years. Are you in pain?

OMG! Why would you keep waiting? You are at 44 degrees now. I know most surgeons wait for that magical 50 degree mark to hit, but personally, "I've been there and done that." I can hardly handle my pain. I have found that flexeril does help enough to get me through a day but today, for instance, my left leg has gone numb and my right shoulder is in constant spasm. Please take it from people who really know (those suffering) and have the surgery if you plan to ever consider it.

[lberg]

thank you!

Struct175

Thank you so much for your thoughts, I have been running in circles with my pain and it is hard to pinpoint the cause and solution. What you said has made the most sense... I have been told so many different things... si joints, hip joint etc.. Now I have so much tingling I feel like I live in a vibrating chair!
I did non surgerical Spinal Decompression for the disks.. big money loads of pain and now I have more pain in hip and leg than ever. Thanks so much I will continue to explore all... I guess I don't want to have surgery if what is causing the pain can be fixed another way, I have lived with scoliosis but if it is the diseases progression it makes no sense not to stop it considering the damage being done. My biggest fear.... What if my pain is still here after, or even worse. Thanks again ! Cheers!

[briarrose]

OMG! Why would you keep waiting? You are at 44 degrees now. I know most surgeons wait for that magical 50 degree mark to hit, but personally, "I've been there and done that." I can hardly handle my pain. I have found that flexeril does help enough to get me through a day but today, for instance, my left leg has gone numb and my right shoulder is in constant spasm. Please take it from people who really know (those suffering) and have the surgery if you plan to ever consider it.

Hi, thanks for your input and concern. I appreciate it.

The reason I keep waiting is because the 4 doctors I have seen don't seem to think it's a big deal. My current doctor wants to do the sugery, but wants to wait until the 50 degree mark. He said he'd be able to get me so straight. Gosh I just wish he would do it. Pain is a problem for me. I have problems with arm numbness too. Thanks!

[CHRIS WBS]

When does it become a big deal? When you're 57 and have a 75 degree curve and are told you're at higher risk for paralysis going into surgery?

Please, if you have documented progression and pain, do not wait any longer to have this taken care of.

Chris

[bbest]

I had a 58* lumbar curve but it was leg pain caused by spinal stenosis which caused me to decide surgery was right for me. I suffered with the pain for 8 years and decided that was long enough. Surgery is not right for everyone and I respect your decision to go another route. After surgery the leg pain was gone. The recovery process has been full of ups and downs, but worth it. Just being able to walk w/o pain made it so worth it.

[briarrose]

I had a 58* lumbar curve but it was leg pain caused by spinal stenosis which caused me to decide surgery was right for me. I suffered with the pain for 8 years and decided that was long enough. Surgery is not right for everyone and I respect your decision to go another route. After surgery the leg pain was gone. The recovery process has been full of ups and downs, but worth it. Just being able to walk w/o pain made it so worth it.

Thanks for sharing your story. I've had bad pain for over 4 years now. I have 2 degenerative disks. At age 24, I find this odd. My doctor said it's normal due to getting older. It looked to me that the discs that are degenerative are the ones supporting my curve. I can't imagine walking without pain. Walking around the mall for ten minutes makes my back hurt so badly. How long was your recovery time?

[briarrose]

When does it become a big deal? When you're 57 and have a 75 degree curve and are told you're at higher risk for paralysis going into surgery?

Please, if you have documented progression and pain, do not wait any longer to have this taken care of.

Chris

I definitely have documented progression and pain. But how do I get the surgery done if no doctor is willing to do it? I guess it's a really risky surgery and they don't want to do it unless I really need it.

[CHRIS WBS]

I do sympathize with you. I'm having a difficult time sorting through a lot of this stuff myself. Reading through these posts, I often wonder why some people with small curves and a lot of pain are recommended surgery while others with large curves and little pain are not. Even at my age and with the severity of my curve, I've had a top-notch surgeon reluctant to recommend surgery, while others have wasted no time with their recommendations.

I've just read the post by the 59-yr-old who is having the experimental surgery. As I read through her/his post, the description of the problems that this person is experiencing is pretty much what I have been told I can expect in the future if I do not have surgery. Make no bones about it, scoliosis can and does disable people. And it just makes more sense to me that if you have pain and documented progression, surgery at your age is much easier and less risky than for someone at my age.

I sincerely hope you will find the help that you need.

Chris

[bbest]

Thanks for sharing your story. I've had bad pain for over 4 years now. I have 2 degenerative disks. At age 24, I find this odd. My doctor said it's normal due to getting older. It looked to me that the discs that are degenerative are the ones supporting my curve. I can't imagine walking without pain. Walking around the mall for ten minutes makes my back hurt so badly. How long was your recovery time?

I'm still recovering. I had surgery at 32 and I'm so sorry I didn't have it sooner. but that's another story entirely. I also had disc degeneration and was told it was caused by wear and tear because of the curve. At 24, I highly doubt your degeneration was caused by "age". I hear you on the walking thing. I could barely do 10 minutes without winding up in agonizing pain. Now, I could walk for hours.

Best of luck to you,
Brandi