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An active physical therapy program should be tried. If this doesn't help, then ultimately surgey would be needed. Spondylolysis is a break in the bone and will not heal without a fusion.

This sounds normal, but would recommend an evaluation if you are concerned. Would recommend continuing activity as tolerated. If pain persist, may consider repeat x-rays and/or physical therapy.

31 years of age is absolutely not too old to have scoliosis surgery if indicated. Indications for surgery in this age group include progression of the curve, pain, and decomposition (standing crooked). Complications are higher in adult scoliosis surgery when compared to the pediatric population. However, assuming that you are othewise healthy, 31 is considered on the young side and we would expect the complication rate to more closely resemble the pediatric group than the older adult population we typically perform adult scoliosis procedures on. Minor complications such as urinary tract infection, wound healing problems, and minor infections are in the range of 20-30%. Major complications are rare and occur in less than 5% of patients. This would include things like deep infections, neurologis injury, hardware failure, pneumonia, stroke, etc. As indicated above, the majority of adult scoliosis surgery is done on older patients in their 60's and 70's. Your treatment would likely be more like a pediatric patient than the older adult with scoliosis. Of course I am generalizing without ever having the opportunity to examine you or review your x-rays. There may be something specific to your case that would alter the complication rate. You should be seen and evaluated by a spine surgeon with an interest in adult scoliosis surgery.

Anorexia does not cause scoliosis.  However, anorexia can cause osteoporosis (weak bones) which can contribute to collapsing of the bones as a result can cause scoliosis. 

The good news is that most cases of low back pain in adolescent athletes resolves without long term problems. Without seeing his x-rays and examining him, I can only speculate as to what is causing his pain. The most likely pain generator is the stress fracture noted in the left L5 pedicle. This most likley represents a spondylysis or pars interarticularis fracture which is commonly seen in adolescent athletes. The pars is very closely related anatomically to the pedicle and radiologists often will confuse the diagnosis on MRI scan. The most important part of treatment is rest and avoidance of sports as recommended by your doctor. I also recommend an aggressive stretching program either with a physical therapist or a qualified athletic trainer. We typically allow kids to return to play in 6-8 weeks assuming they are pain free and have a full range of motion. It is important to continue the stretching to prevent recurrence. I like to use a LSO brace to help control pain and reinforce the activity restrictions, however it is not absolutely necessary.

There are a wide range of treatments for scoliosis. The treatment for a particular patient depends on the patient's age and the severity of the scolosis. The majority of patients do not require anything more than monitoring with periodic x-rays. Some patients are fitted with a brace as a way of stopping further progression of the curve. Surgery is only needed in the most severe cases. One recent development you should be aware of is the availability of a new test, called the ScoliScore AIS Prognostice Test. This simple saliva test can help us predict which children with scoliosis are more likely to see their curves progress and therefore may need more aggresive treatment. For more infromation about the ScolioScore, visit our News & Press Releases area under Media Center or call us at 336-333-6306.

You most likely need standing x-rays and a MRI of your spine to determine the best treatment plan.

Yes, it's possible that your symptomps are being caused by a pinched nerve in your cervical spine area (or neck).  Cervical radiculopathy (or pinched nerve) can result in numbness, weakness, pain or loss of reflexes in the area controlled by the nerve.  To know for sure what is causing your symptoms, you should have a thorough physical exam.  Diagnostic tests such as x-rays and a MRI also may be needed to isolate the cause.

This is a difficult question to answer without an evaluation. If you are unsure about proceeding with surgery, then we recommend a second opinion from an orthopedic spine surgeon or a neruosurgeon.

Scoliosis in a young child is typically monitored for progression. Only curves that progress require treatment. You should follow-up with the kidney and heart specialists for other concerns.

Without reviewing your MRI we are not able to give any specific information regarding your care. However, typically when a patient has degenerative disc disease they can still have a herniated disc.

It is true that some cases of scoliosis progress slowly throughout adulthood, however this does not necessarily mean that you will have significant functional problems.  There are may variables that predict the probability of progression in a specific case.  You should be evaluated with a clinical exam and imaging studies by a scoliosis specialist to determine your specific prognosis and recommended treatment. 

Yes we advise you to see a spine specialist.  A curve can compromise your breathing depending on how bad it is.  You may need x-rays and a MRI to figure out the exact problem you are having.  I hope that you find this helpful.

Bungee jumping is inherently dangerous, but scoliosis will not increase your risk of injury.

No. In most cases, ruptured discs do not need surgery. In our experience, 80% can be treated conservatively. Treatments include: medications, physical therapy, spinal injections, rest, and simply allowing time for healing. Surgery is reserved for patients with severe, persistent pain or weakness. When surgery is required, we use advanced, minimally invasive microsurgery techniques. These techniques allow for more rapid recovery than typically occurs with older, more invasive surgery methods.

With previous scoliosis surgery and diffuse non-specific symptoms, it is impossible to give you a diagnosis without a physical exam and diagnositic studies. You should be evaluated.