Spinal Surgery

Dear Nelson,

My SMA causes my muscles to be very weak. The muscles around my spine were weakened and my spine was not able to hold itself up straight. My spine started to curve. This is called scoliosis. I had the option to have metal rods placed next to my spine to try to straighten it or do nothing. If I did nothing, my spine would keep bending. The twists and curves in my spine caused a lot of pain and made it difficult to breathe. When I was 14 years old I decided surgery was the best option for me. The metal rods have helped to make my spine more straight.

Scoliosis can happen in anyone, not just people with disabilities. When your doctor asks you to bend over to touch your toes, he is often looking at your spine to see if there are any curves. Many people do not have spinal surgery to straighten their back from scoliosis. As long as you and your doctor believe you are healthy and living a high quality of life, you may not need to have surgery at all.