Speed of deterioration

[JennyRN]

In the last 16 years, my 2 curves have remained unchanged. And I had little to no pain on a consistent basis. Since my upper curve has increased 15 degrees in the last 5 years, I have had a slow increase in back pain. But recently (in the last 2 months), I have noticed a RAPID increase in the amount of pain I am experiencing. There is not a day now that goes by without pain and most days I am experiencing CONSTANT pain.

My questions to all of you is: How quickly or slowly did you notice a deterioration in both curvature and pain?

[Singer]

The progression of my curve sped up dramatically after I turned 50 and went through menopause -- I shrunk an inch and a half over the course of a year and it became much more painful.

[Nitram]

Hi Jenny, I just has surgery about a month ago and never really had much pain at all, that is until after surgery! My lumbar curve went from 45 to 65 degrees in about 3 years which is why I decided to move forward and get the surgery. I also started to get some numbness in my feet but fortunately never really had much other pain.

Rich

[jrnyc]

Hey Jenny
my scoli wasnt discovered til i was 30 years old, when i first had pain, but the pain went away very quickly...no major problems til i herniated discs in my lower back, at about age 50 or so...then all heck broke loose...with degenerative disc AND scoli, the back really has no support...add some rotation, spinal stenosis, and arthritis, and you can imagine! soooo...since the discs started giving me problems, it has been downhill all the way...

i know you mentioned your upper back...do you have anything going on besides the scoli...(not that that isnt enuf!)....

have you tried any pain management?.....i get botox shots in upper back and it prevents muscles spasms...too bad it doesnt work on my lower back!

hope you find help for the pain...

jess

[ADMoul]

My pain crept up on me very gradually. I agree with Chris-- It seemed hitting 50 and menopause really made things worse. I was also dealing with illness and death of elderly parents and was under a lot of stress. My pain worsened as the day wore on and the longer I was on my feet. I got relief from epidurals, PT and a great massage therapist but that was all temporary. My curves were not carefully monitored but I know the degree increased simply by the way I felt and looked. (Had to buy bigger bras and not for the front !) I can honestly say that all of my pre-op pain and nerve issues are gone and have been from day one. As you can see from my signature, I still have some significant curves but I feel great. I still have some post-op pain (esp. in my butt and shoulders) but it doesn't wipe me out the way the old pain did. I just move a little more slowly! Besides, I know this pain will eventually go away.

[JenniferG]

I had no pain until around age 50. Then I started losing height - 2.5 inches in 6 years. My curve became more obvious in that time but it wasn't measured until age 56 when it was 66 degrees. Nine months later when I had surgery, it was 68.

I regained almost 2 inches from the surgery.