Bent, Not Broken: My Scoliosis Story (among other things)

Scoliosis: A (Hopefully) Non-Emotional Update

Well, first of all, if you've made it this far, congratulations! To be honest, if I could've jumped ship by now, I probably would have. 100 reads! Yay! I honestly did not expect anyone to see this, so that's amazing. To celebrate (and also because I owe it to you guys for sticking around so long), I thought I'd go through the basics of scoliosis and give you a quick update on where I am right now. It's a little overdue: but here it is...
Scoliosis, as most of you probably know, is the abnormal curvature of the spine, This curve(s) of the spine goes laterally, or sideways, but it can also cause your spine to twist. In most cases (like mine!) this twisting will just make some ribs stick out, but when a curve is sever enough, it can pose risks to important things like breathing, (breathing is generally recommended by doctors. Check with your GP to see if breathing is right for you!) The lateral curvature of the spine will often lead to some visible (deformity? That sounds harsh) deformity, in my case, uneven shoulders and a visible misalignment of my hips and waistline. You can be born with scoliosis (congenital), or it can be a result of physical trauma (degenerative), or even a result of abnormal nerves/muscles (neuromuscular), but it is most often idiopathic, meaning there is no known cause. It is also categorized by when it's discovered. For example, I have idiopathic adolescent scoliosis, which is most common.
    Scoliosis can (and often does, from the girls I've talked to and personal experience) cause back pain, which can sometimes be difficult to manage. In cases where there is a visible deformity, it can also lead to self-esteem issues. Scoliosis is more common in girls than in boys, but it effects both genders. Despite the medical advances in the past decade, scoliosis treatment options are relatively similar to what they were ten years ago: wait, brace, or operate. Most cases of scoliosis don't require treatment, but your doctor will want to take you in every 4-6 months to get X-Rays while you're growing to make sure it doesn't get worse. Around 20-25 degrees (I've known doctors that say 20 and some that say 25, it just depends who you're seeing), it is recommended you get a brace to stop it from getting worse, assuming you have more growing to do. They can see how much bone growth you have left by looking at certain bones and placing you on the Riser scale, which goes from 0-5, 0 being a lot of growth left and 5 being you're done growing. If your curve is 45 degrees or higher (again, depends who you see, but most will say 45 degrees), most doctors will recommend an operation to correct the curve as much as possible, and keep it from getting worse. There are many types of surgeries, and if you want, I can do a chapter on that, but until then, I recommend reading the surgery chapter of lifeasthefangirl 's book "How Scoliosis Changed Me", it's very informative, and she has much more experience with the topic.
    Although some people suggest exercises or other alternative methods like going to a chiropractor's instead of the three I mentioned, they have not been proven to work, so in the end, you're often left with just three options. I have heard, though, that going to a chiropractor can help the back pain, and exercise never hurts, as long as you're not straining yourself too hard.
    As for where I am right now, I was diagnosed on December 2nd last year, but didn't see the orthopedic doctor until early January this year. When X-Rays were originally taken in November, before my official diagnosis, I was on the edge of bracing, and chose to wait it out. Since then, however, I have watched my body (specifically my torso and shoulders) contort exponentially in a matter of weeks. Naturally, I was uncomfortable with this, as the pain is becoming almost constant, and it's not fun to watch a change like that. For that reason, my next X-Ray appointment has been moved from June to March (without my permission) and then to the 24th of this month (February) after I came to terms with the imminence of my bracing and decided against holding out. It's only three weeks away, which seems both very far and very close. I'm both nervous because I know they're going to say I need to be braced and excited because maybe this will stop the change and help the pain. Have you guys been braced? Roughly how long does the process take, from getting told you need a brace to having to wear one full-time?
    For now, I'm trying to keep an open mind. After all, if that's what needs to be done, it's what needs to be done, even if it sucks like hell. Either way, my friends have been good about this whole ordeal so far- so I guess we're just pushing the boundaries again. Thank you guys again for sticking with me through this, and I hope this helped! Luv ya!