Well... need some opinion

[Delta107]

Hi I'm 24(male)


I also got another question regarding the bed. When I was small the doctors insisted on hard surface bed. Recently I bought a new bed with an orthopedic mattress. http://orthopedicmattressreviews.fil...ooms-43476.jpg What do scoliotic pacients usually sleep on? Can bed type increase the chance of curve progression? Or it is not known?
Thanks again!!!

[susancook]

Hi Delta! Just wanted to welcome you to the site. The opinions of almost 100 percent of the folks on this site are just opinions. Your back looks like it does have a problem and I suggest that you go to see a spinal /scoliosis specialist and have some good X-rays done of the spine. Look on the scoliosis site for SRS specialists. This will give you a baseline and you can begin some physical therapy that is specific to your problem. Good luck. This might be a long journey for you, but at least get going with a doctor who knows what he/she is doing. Susan

[LindaRacine]

Hi I'm 24
Can someone tell me very approximately(I know x-rays are better but I got none recent) what is the curve angle. Is the curve mild or moderate, or how is it classified? Thank you!
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/822/mg0388.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/844/23544588.jpg/
I tried to draw the curve as accurate as I could but I provided 2 images in case the one drawn by me is wrong.
I also got another question regarding the bed. When I was small the doctors insisted on hard surface bed. Recently I bought a new bed with an orthopedic mattress. http:// http://www.google.md/search?...mJwOnN2rywM%3A What do scoliotic pacients usually sleep on? Can bed type increase the chance of curve progression? Or it is not known?
Thanks again!!!

Hi Delta...

It is very doubtful that scoliosis curves can be influenced by a mattress.

If you do a search on the word mattress, you'll find several threads here. You'll see that there is no consensus. I think most of us like cushy mattresses, while some prefer very hard mattresses.

I would say that you have at least one curve of maybe 40-60 degrees, but one can't really tell from looking from the outside. Do you have plans to see a specialist?

--Linda

[Delta107]

Yeah I intend to have some x rays done just have to conquer some psychological obstacles.

I have another question. I did read that various exercises can reduce pain and muscle stiffness(because of muscle overworking) yet these will not cure the condition. Can bad posture increase the risk for progression? Actually what is bad posture? My mother has been often nagging me about my slightly tilted head, yet keeping it straight all the time is impossible because I can't be tense all the time. More than that but I did some photos and didn't seem to see much difference(except the head part) between the seemingly "right posture"(closing the shoulders) and usual posture.

[Pooka1]

Hi. As others said it is not easy to guess a curve from the outside.

That said, I think you are north of 60* which would be considered large. As Dr. Hey says, a stitch in time saves nine. I think he means that, in general, fusion will be faster and easier and you will get a better result if you do it sooner rather than later. But there are certainly surgeons advocating waiting or not fusing for adults.

The other thing is you appear to have only a thoracic curve. If you wait, it may later involve the lumbar. While having a fused thoracic curve is almost normal in terms of range of motion because people don't routinely bend through the rib cage, having a fused lumbar is an entirely different story. Just something to consider.

Good luck.

[jrnyc]

welcome...
what scoliosis specialists are available for you in Romania...??
i hope you are able to find the medical help you need.

jess

[Delta107]

Is there any evidence that prolonged sitting in front of the computer can significantly increase scoliosis progression?

[rohrer01]

Delta, welcome!

I don't think there is any conclusive evidence that anything, such as posture, mattress firmness, slouching, carrying heavy packs, cause scoliosis or have any impact on it. I could be wrong, but I've read a lot of stuff. There is a nice section on scoliosis if you go back to the home page for this site.

I agree with Pooka1 that your curve looks larger than 60*. You have to remember that curves involve rotation of the spine and can look deceptively small from the outside. You can't see the major portion of the vertebrae from looking at a person. All you see is the spinous process which is a very small part of the vertebra. These can even be bent over and usually are to some extent, making the curve look smaller on the outside. My curve is between 40* and 50* and looks nothing like yours. I'm not trying to scare you. You do need to see a specialist, especially if you are having pain or feel restricted in your breathing.

As far as mattresses go, sleep on whatever is most comfortable for you. You want to be as comfortable as possible, especially if you are having pain with your scoliosis.

As for posture. Can a scoliotic person have "good" posture? I don't believe that is entirely possible. If your neck is jutting forward, that is your body's way of compensating for the lack of kyphosis. Looking from the side, a normal spine has a gentle S shape. Many people with thoracic curves lack this gentle outward curve of the spine between the shoulder blades. You look hypokyphotic, meaning you don't have the normal outward curve between your shoulder blades. The only way to compensate for balance is to jut your head forward a bit. I have the same problem. If you explain this to your mom, then maybe she will quit getting after you about your posture.

Please keep us updated and take care.

[Delta107]

I want to ask a question regarding weight carrying. For some reasons which I hope the doctors would figure I can't carry more than 1-1.5 kg of weight without pain(hard to quantify it, I think its some kind of cutting-sore pain in the region of the vertebrae) which resolves itself after a few days. Is this normal for scoliosis patients not to be able to carry weight because of pain? I am scheduled to see first an orthopedist next month.

[rohrer01]

Delta, I have always had a weight restriction on me since my diagnosis. I've been restricted from anywhere from 10 - 30lb (4 - 13kg). If you can't lift 1 - 1.5kg without pain I would definitely tell this information to your doctor. That's like lifting a book. That should not cause you pain. When are you seeing your doctor? I'm not trying to scare you, but I would get in as soon as you can.

You mention that you had some psychological obstacles to conquer. I'm not in any way going to pry there. I just want you to know that you are not alone in that area either. I've noticed over the years that, on average, men have a harder time dealing with this than women. I'm a woman and am not saying that we don't have our battles, because we do. Just know that there is support here among other men if you wish to reach out to any of them. Titaniumed has been a great source of encouragement to both men and women and I'm pretty sure he would keep your confidence. You can contact people via PM.

It's probably daytime there, so I hope you have a good day. =)

[Delta107]

Thanks for the reply! Its not like I can't move thing around at home, its a problem when shopping and going to work with too "heavy" a hand bag. Anyway, I'm seeing a psychologist, and I'm doing less "panicking" when in public places thinking everyone sees my deformity. But it took a lot of convincing from my therapist and trying to convince myself...

[rohrer01]

Well, then, I really commend you for being brave enough to show us pictures and ask for opinions. Of course, all of us here either have the deformity ourselves or have loved ones who do. So there is nothing "shocking" to us. I know I feel a little self-conscious at times, okay a LOT self-conscious at times, but it's my body, part of who I am, whether or not I ever get it fixed. I think I've actually gotten a little more self-conscious over the last several years. I don't know why, but it's hard sometimes. I'm older so I'm having other pain issues related to other parts of my body wearing out or getting injured because of the scoliosis. I never imagined life to be this way. But I'm glad that I have people here on this forum to talk to who understand. People not dealing with this try to be sympathetic, but they just can't understand that it's not always the physical pain but the emotional pain that this disorder brings on a person. I'm glad you are getting help. Straight back or not, you are a valuable human being worth just as much as any other human being. I'm signing off for now, since it's wee hours of the morning where I'm at. Keep up the progress and remember that it's who we are, not what we look like that matters most. =)

[jrnyc]

Delta....how experienced are the scoliosis specialists available
to you in your country?
i am ignorant of what is there for you medically...

i think the best thing to do would be to ask your questions of a
medical doctor...
i can tell you that with an upper curve of 42 and lower of 70, there
are positions that make me hurt worse...if i sit at the computer for long.,
i get up feeling stiff and achey...but i do not know that any position
actually can change a curve to make it worse...
i have other things wrong...degenerative disc disase, arthritis,
listhesis, etc...things that add to the pain, but things most
young scoliosis patients do not have...
perhaps a scoliosis medical doctor would know the answer to that...

most people are keenly aware of their own body "imperfections" and
others do not ever look at us as closely as we look at ourselves...
many people are their own worst critics, especially women...but men
are not immune from being self critical, as you well know.

i hope you find the answers you seek...
jess

[Delta107]

Thnx for answering,

Oddly enough my back pain can subside after a very few push ups, though more pushups can actually make it worse. Its very odd. As for the doctors... I don't know.(They are badly funded) I think the general orthopedist I am about to see will send me to some other doctor.

[Delta107]

Finally I got my spine x-ray. The radiologist said its called s thoracic scoliosis and has written 39 degrees. But that must be some other measurement method(?) because I measured according to the Cobb method and if I measured correctly its ~75 degrees(there is a very tilted vertebrae and I measured from that one). I'll post the image later.

I did a small search on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbQaT7z54E4 This gives me shivers, its like repairing a car.