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  • Please Look Into Alternatives

    Anyone that is actually considering surgery should see a chiropractor--believe me, they work--or someone that specializes in TREATMENT of scoliosis rather than an orthopedic surgeon. Surgeons want to do what they do best, surgery(maybe they do it well). Thats what they want to do because thats how they get paid. It has a possiblity of parellelizing you. Normally, scoliosis will come back. The rod can cause damage. GET SECOND AND THIRD OPINIONS PLEASE. I've dealt with scoliosis for 5 years (I'm nineteen) MY grandpa and his siblings had it, my aunt, uncle, father, siblings and cousins all have it. None of us have had surgery for scoliosis. I have horrible scarring in my back from it, it's my main cosmetic problem, along with twisted and uneven hips, and uneven shoulders, and a protruding rib. I have used a personal trainer who specialized in scoliosis to help me relieve pain by weight training and other strength exercises. I've been through it, I thought I wanted surgery at one time. I was willing to do anything to get rid of it...but surgery won't. It causes more problems...Please get some more info before going under the knife.
    Sarah Ann

  • #2
    May I ask you what your degrees are?

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    • #3
      If you're speaking of degrees, as in curvature, I don't know. I never had it measured, and am glad I haven't because if I knew it was, like, a 90 degree curve, I would probably think I couldn't do anything about it. It's a mind over matter thing, for myself. If you're speaking of degrees, as in College, I am currently a student at UMKC in Kansas City, getting a photography degree, but am credible, because I have dealt first hand with people that have been through doctors and surgery, spoken with nutritionists, and chiropractors, and people that specialize in this. I don't want to seem hypocritical because I don't know how bad my own problem is compared to others, but getting the right treatment from the right person will always be better, in my opinion. The short way isn't always the easiest or the most painless.
      Sarah Ann

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      • #4
        my curve us at 80% and it bloody hurts i can tell u and i havent hadmy operation yet but will do when i get notification
        Ben Thrower

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        • #5
          I was asking the degree of your curve. If it was 90 you would certianly know it. The pain would be aweful and your breathing wouldn't be so wonderful either. Your argument is interesting however it seems uneducated. I too saw a chiropractor who admitted that he could manage the pain but not correct the problem. I'm not sure what a nutritionist will do for your spine twisting. I wore a brace for four years and was able to get correction at the bottom of my s-curve however not the top. When I had my surgery I had lung capacity of 50% in one lung. If you think children and their parents volunteer themselves and their children for this very serious surgery you are wrong. I met many people during my experience that had the surgery...they all thought long and hard and weighed all of their options before having it as it is very painful. Having been through it I certianly would not call it a "quick fix" but maybe a last resort. So, while I think many people over react to scoliosis there are many of us who have or had a serious life threatening problem where surgery IS the only option to life a life without health complications. I hope some day there will be a solution that is less barbaric than the current procedure. I can tell you that I am quite grateful that I had the surgery.

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          • #6
            Ben,
            Hang in there! You will do fine! I had the surgery.....you'll be happy you did it.

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            • #7
              I do have some breathing problems--normally when I'm at college hauling around my backback, hunched over. I have pain pretty much 100% of the time...I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything, I just want people to weigh their options. Some don't hear about anything but the surgery or just living with everything. People will have to exerscise most of their lives, even if they do have surgery just to live, but injury while exercising with a rod in their back could happen (just as easily as without), but be more physically tramatizing because of what that rod can do to your body.
              Sarah Ann

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              • #8
                Also, the nutritionist and the chiropractor refered me to a personal trainer. But if you read some research on scoliosis, I don't know if I believe it, but nutrition can help scoliosis. It's not just a bone disease. I've researched a lot for myself, but it's hard to remember everything and also back myself up in such a short amount of space and time. It could take me all day to reply to one of these, if I wanted it to.
                Sarah Ann

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                • #9
                  I completely agree with Sheilap on this one. I do think, however, that nutirition is extremely important for just overall health, not just for someone with health problems. I have always believed in this, which is why I am a vegetarian...a healthy vegetarian, that is. I also agree with the idea of exercise as a way to relieve pain and maintain a healthy body...because it does work.

                  However, I am also aware that nothing is going to get rid of the disease, not bracing, diet, therepy, or even surgery. Surgery is not for everyone, but it does help tremendously with pain and cosmetic issues that we all, or some of us, are dealing with.

                  To my knowledge, a chiropractor or exercise will not lessen the degrees of a curve, only relieve pain. Bracing only works for a few, and in my case, was never an option. This is why I have decided to have my surgery. The surgery, by the way, will usually not cause you to develop pain, it's the disease itself that gives you the pain, and pain should lessen quite a bit after recovery. Anyway, at 23, this was a tough decision because I am a senior in college.

                  And probably the most important point: It sounds ridiculous to say that surgery is the easy way out. My surgery is going to be in about 2 weeks, and I'm pretty sure I'll still think that this is NOT the easy way out. I'm just glad that I may not have to deal with as many back problems when I'm 55 (hopefully), which is why I'm having it in the first place.

                  Anyway, my point is, weighing your options is important, but don't discredit an option if you don't know much about it.

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                  • #10
                    I hate the fact that I feel like I have to defend myself, but I just do. I do know a lot, but not everything, about surgery, most people wouldn't have it if they didn't have pain in the first place, BUT the pain can worsen as you get older and your bones naturally weaken. If you're not healthy, your body will give you problems in many aspects. And no, a chiropractor will most likely not change the severity of the curve, but I am living proof that exercise can help...I haven't for a little over a week, and I am feeling it, mainly in my back...with in the first two weeks I had started training, my mom said she could see my spine was straighter...it's her opinion, but I agree with her. I don't know what else I can say. Surgery wasn't an option for me, because I don't want to have to worry about paralysis and there is no way I can be imobile for any amount of time.
                    Sarah Ann

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                    • #11
                      It's fine to post our opinions on here, that's what we're entitled to do. However, I believe the first stated opinion on here is a bit uneducated. A chiropractor will NOT make your scoliosis away. Spinal fusion is probably your best bet because while you will always have scoliosis, the rods will prevent your scoliosis from getting any worse. A chiropractor may make you feel better, but they cannot prevent your curves from progressing as the rods are surgically placed to do so. If you have 90 degree curves, you obviously DEFINITELY need the surgery, or you will be crippled fairly young in life, and will continue to have respiratory problems. I highly suggest the surgery to you, and anyone else on here. Also, ANY surgery has the chance of paralyzing you...just by hitting a wrong nerve! A spinal fusion is not the only type of surgery that could paralyze you. How can you say surgery causes more problems? It more than likely CHANGES PEOPLE'S LIVES FOR THE GOOD. My spine is STRAIGHT now, my rib hum is completely GONE and I'm going to be more flexible now than ever! I HIGHLY promote spinal fusion surgery, JMHO
                      "Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom."
                      "Talent takes you to the top. Character keeps you there."

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                      • #12
                        For one, I NEVER said chiropractors can fix this, you misunderstood me. I said to see one to get their opinion. And, I know all surgery can paralyze you, but if this is the only reason you have surgery then that's your only risk. You can die anytime you get put under anesthetic...I'm not stupid. I also never said that my curve was 90 degrees. And the rods don't always work. Scoliosis can progress after the spine is fused and cause the rods to bend. Later problems with surgery could be even more pain, which isn't fun for anyone, accidently bending a rod from an accident or something else, which I have a friend who has, so it is possible, which means emergency surgery or permanent damage...no one thinks about this stuff or says it won't happen to them, I have researched scoliosis, I know what it COULD be caused by, because no one really knows, (unless it has to do with a muscular disease) I know treatments and risks, and consequences of the disease, etc. I'm not an expert but I am well informed. Your back may be straight and you may have an aesthetically pleasing back, and maybe your surgery went better than others, but some are unlucky and don't benefit from it, possible from a mistake from a doctor or a mistake of their own...you have to know the person and know if they are willing to work to keep theirselves healthy enough after the surgery before you can recommend it. There is too much at risk (like the before mentioned death) to tell everyone with a form of scoliosis to go have surgery done, just because it went well for you. I'm not completely against, I just think some people are being pushed the wrong way in their situation.
                        Sarah Ann

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                        • #13
                          Sarah Ann...
                          Through all of your research, have you ever come across the fact that Scoiliosis is a rare side effect of a disease called Charcot-Marie Tooth? There is a great deal of my husband's family who suffer from CMT and none of them have ever heard of this being a side effect. I will be asking my daughter's orthopedic doctor next month about it, but I was just curious if you've ever heard of CMT or the connection with Scoliosis.
                          Mary Lou

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                          • #14
                            No, I had never heard of CMT. I'm not too familiar with things outside of more well known generalized problems. You made me curious, so I went to my university's website, and looked Charcot-Marie Tooth up in their electronic medical books. It says its one of the most encountered nerve diseases and common symptoms of it include muscle loss and weakness. That would be the link to it...muscle loss and weakness, which even if it's in another area of the body other than the back, caused the scoliosis similar to muscular dystrophy, or another like disease. That would be my semi-educated guess...
                            Sarah Ann

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                            • #15
                              I find your comments about surgery both uneducated and offensive. Please try not to be so pushy about your beliefs. Its about sharing your ideas, not putting others down.
                              Charlotte

                              48 degree upper curve
                              L2 to T4
                              Braced for 4 years
                              Surgery 2/4/04

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