High Toracic Curve

[burdle]

I have 3 curves - the newest is classed as high thoracic curve of 59*.

The others are thoracic- 56* and lumbar 47*. The thoracic and lumbar are both structural - I don't know about the high thoracic one.

Is a high thoracic difficult to straighten- does anyone have info about having a curve like this which is untreated?

[rohrer01]

I have 3 curves - the newest is classed as high thoracic curve of 59*.

The others are thoracic- 56* and lumbar 47*. The thoracic and lumbar are both structural - I don't know about the high thoracic one.

Is a high thoracic difficult to straighten- does anyone have info about having a curve like this which is untreated?

Hello, Burdle.
I'm the queen of "high thoracic"...LOL No, it's not funny just ironic. I've yet to meet anyone with a high thoracic. Why do they say that the thoracic and the lumbar are the structural ones when your high thoracic is the largest?

My high thoracic used to be the only structural curve I had. Then it developed into what my doctor called a double major. Folks on the forum call it a double thoracic. Two years ago I started developing a small lumbar curve as well, but not enough to be classified scoliotic.

My curve was last measured at 46^o and has been an instrumental part in a lot of neck, shoulder and arm pain since I was very young. My neck comes out of my shoulder girdle at a very odd angle so when I wear my neck brace it shoots my head off straight with my spine and not my shoulders. It looks really strange.

Can I ask if it's left or right? If you have a right thoracic curve, your upper thoracic will be left. I'm just curious. I developed a right thoracic as a result of my left upper thoracic/cervical curve not the other way around. Usually it's the thoracic first, THEN the upper thoracic/cervical. That's why I asked if you were sure the upper curve wasn't first. It's the largest. I'd be really curious to see your x-ray films.

Take care,
Rohrer01

[burdle]

Hi Rohrer

I was in my 30s when I first discovered I had scoliosis- it was a single right thoracic curve of 48 degrees. within 5 years I had a lumbar one as well . I conservatively managed but started to see consultants again when the pain increased. RHOH consult Stewart Tucker diagnosed the 3rd high thoracic then ( so 25 years later). he said the lumbar and the thoracic were both structural.

My latest appointment says double major with an additional high thoracic of 59*

My neck gives me real problems now.

I will try to post x-ray

[Pooka1]

Do you ever wonder if you had your 48* T curve fused whether you could have avoided developing a structural lumbar and a painful high curve? I think this is what Dr. Hey is banging on about in terms of a stitch in time saves nine.

It's never an easy call and there was no way you could have known your single curve would develop into a double plus a large non-structural third curve. Plus is sounds like they didn't offer the surgery at 48* when it was discovered. But when they saw you developing a structural lumber, did they offer surgery?

[burdle]

Do you ever wonder if you had your 48* T curve fused whether you could have avoided developing a structural lumbar and a painful high curve? I think this is what Dr. Hey is banging on about in terms of a stitch in time saves nine.

It's never an easy call and there was no way you could have known your single curve would develop into a double plus a large non-structural third curve. Plus is sounds like they didn't offer the surgery at 48* when it was discovered. But when they saw you developing a structural lumber, did they offer surgery?

Hi,

I was offered surgery when they discovered the lumbar curve but I declined. No one mentioned new curves developing and this was the first time I had seen any scoliosis person. The doc I saw when I was 48* was not a scoli doc. At the time I had 2 small children and did not want surgery. It is the high thoracic curve I worry about and I don't have much info about what might happen to it. When I look at my latest x-ray the high-thoracic one does not look as bad as the thoracic but the letter I have says it is 59*



How do I post an x-ray so that it is only seen on the forum?

[burdle]

Hi,

I was offered surgery when they discovered the lumbar curve but I declined. No one mentioned new curves developing and this was the first time I had seen any scoliosis person. The doc I saw when I was 48* was not a scoli doc. At the time I had 2 small children and did not want surgery. It is the high thoracic curve I worry about and I don't have much info about what might happen to it. When I look at my latest x-ray the high-thoracic one does not look as bad as the thoracic but the letter I have says it is 59*



How do I post an x-ray so that it is only seen on the forum?

By the way I am coming to New York for a long-weekend tomorrow - only second time for me in the States!

[rohrer01]

I hope you enjoy your stay. I've been to NY once. I found it to be a beautiful state. I love pine forests, though. I stayed away from the city. We were near Saratoga which is famous for it's naturally carbonated water. People actually come to the bubblers to collect gallons of the stuff. A friend pulled a prank on me and had me drink some. Ugh! If you like rotten eggs, you'd like the "naturally carbonated water". Just be ware if you end up visiting upstate at all.

As far as the neck curve goes, it hurts. Plain and simple. Mine has caused me trouble since I was a kid and not diagnosed. It had to have been quite smallish then. I had a growth spurt when I was 15 and made it to 5' 8-1/4". When I was 16 I had shrunk to 5' 7-1/2". I'm now around 5' 7" as far as I know, but not sure with the recent progression. I was measured a couple of days ago and they didn't tell me how tall I was in feet and inches. I don't remember how many cm I was. I don't put too much faith in the height measurements. They vary over an inch in the same institution!

Have fun with your visit here,
Rohrer01