which degree needs surgery?

[metillan]

Hi dear friends.
I want to know at which degree we are forced to do a surgery?
#1 - I am a girl with 40 degree Curve. Do I need a surgery ?
I dont use a brace for about 2 years ! because my doctor said brace will not help me anymore because I am 22 years old
but my degree is fix from 2 years a go until now.
please help me.
#2 - how can I decrease my curve ? i mean exept surgery

[joeb-z]

Some quick attempts at broad brush answers.

At 40 degrees the long term stability is an open question but I think few doctors would recomend surgery unless other problems were present.

The lack of progression over the last two years is a good sign. You need to keep an eye on the curves, save your x-rays etc.

Weight gain and child bearing seem to be troublemakers for increasing curves so keep fit and make taking care of yourself a priority.

Typically if you reach 50 degrees, the spine will continue to progress.

[metillan]

thank you for the reply
any other ideas about me and my curve ?

[amae28]

hey,
I have a 42 degree curve, and i'm 19... so done growing like you. Right now i have decided not to have surgery and just keep watching it because my back hurts a lot. If you aren't in a lot of discomfort, i'd say to just keep getting it checked and stay in shape... those are your best bets. There isn't really anything to make the curve better i don't think

Abbie

[Suzy]

Hi,

Unfortunately your curve won't correct it's self and you can't do anything to correct it. If there was we would have done it! If you have a curve that is rapidly progressing or the pain is effecting your life then it's probably time to start to plan on surgery. Most Dr's wait untill the curve is approaching 50* but this isn't always the case. (Also at 50* gravity can start to effect your curve.) Your curve staying the same for the last 2 years is good, you are lucky. Mine went 4* per year. I had surgery at 49*. In the 6 months before my surgery the pain got so bad I could only function for about 3 hours per day. I might have done better if I had pain meds of some type, I was only using ibuprofen. But, I wanted to get the surgery done while I was is great shape and youngish. (43) Make sure you keep getting your curve checked.

[metillan]

thank you very much...
but I think we can decrease our curve via sport,exercise and swimming...

[rainbow2010]

Swimming is great to strengthen the muscles in your back. As for correction, traction might help a little, but it could also trigger it to grow more.

[metillan]

rainbow2010

what do you mean ?

but it could also trigger it to grow more.

[Karen Ocker]

exercise/sport increasing/decreasing curves

rainbow2010

Swimming is great to strengthen the muscles in your back. As for correction, traction might help a little, but it could also trigger it to grow more.

metillan

thank you very much...
but I think we can decrease our curve via sport,exercise and swimming...

So far no exercise/sport has been shown to halt or "speed up" curves.
If anyone here has definite proof please let us know because so far many of us have tried without success.

Those things are great for fitness and well-being but progressing scoliosis curves seem to "march to their own drummer".

[joeb-z]

I think Suzie's description is a perfect example of when surgery becomes necessary. Progression of 2+ degrees a year and pain are going to catch up with you. My wife woke up today (seven months post surgery) and said she was the happiest she has been in over a year. I also noticed she was comfortably snoozing on the incision side! (She had a world class anterior/lateral incision at least 20" long).

Joe

Hi,

Unfortunately your curve won't correct it's self and you can't do anything to correct it. If there was we would have done it! If you have a curve that is rapidly progressing or the pain is effecting your life then it's probably time to start to plan on surgery. Most Dr's wait untill the curve is approaching 50* but this isn't always the case. (Also at 50* gravity can start to effect your curve.) Your curve staying the same for the last 2 years is good, you are lucky. Mine went 4* per year. I had surgery at 49*. In the 6 months before my surgery the pain got so bad I could only function for about 3 hours per day. I might have done better if I had pain meds of some type, I was only using ibuprofen. But, I wanted to get the surgery done while I was is great shape and youngish. (43) Make sure you keep getting your curve checked.

[SARAHK]

I totally agree with Joe and Suzy. I tried chiropractic, exercise, and crazy sleeping positions to try and keep my curve from getting worse but nothing worked. If your curve is progressing at each check-up then you should consider having it done sooner rather than later. The smaller the curve, the more they'll be able to straighten you up during the surgery. I feel I waited too long for my first surgery but hindsight's always 20/20. It's a big decision to make. But I would be a lot straighter now if I had done what the doctors recommended early on. Best advice is for you to go to a good orthopedic surgeon and get their advice.

[aprilshowers]

metillan and Abbie,

I am in a similar position. I have around a 52 degree curve (you never know exactly because it changes throughout the day). I have decided not to get surgery. My doctor recommended it last time I went to him in Feburary, but I think he's crazy. I have no pain. I recently went to an amusement park and walked around all day without a problem. I do yoga for 20 minutes every day (I am aiming for more) and plan to start swimming when I get to college. I also am thinking about getting physical therapy to strengthen the weak side of my back because I have no idea which exercises are good and which are not. I plan to be surgery-free unless I have really bad pain when I am in my 40's or 50's. One doctor told me never to get a job standing up or I will want surgery by the time I am 45, something to think about.

April

[SARAHK]

I could be totally wrong and I have no medical information about this but it seems that people with "S" curves would be less likely to require surgery than people who have just one curve. Because it seems like gravity would continually pull you down on that one side with the curve until you did something about it (as it did in my case). But if you were more "balanced" with an S curve, it seems like you would have a greater chance of leveling out eventually, thus not requiring surgery. So in your case April, I could see your point in wanting to avoid surgery. But like I said, I have no clue if that's true or not. I'm sure there could be many other factors involved besides curve progression.