From the time before I could even sit up on my own as a baby, I started wearing a brace. The first brace I ever wore was made out of leather straps and buckles. The problem with my scoliosis starts in my neck and goes all the way down my spine. My back, for the most part, looks like a backwards "S." With most of the bend in the neck and upper spine between the shoulders.

To help prevent my spine from curving any worse, I wore a Milwaukee Back Brace from the Twin Cities Scoliosis Center. I absolutely hated it. I was a child when I wore this. My scoliosis was severe. It still is bad. Though, through several corrective spinal fusions and the placement of a Harrington Rod, the degree of curve has improved. I still have trouble knowing when I'm holding my head straight. It likes to tilt to the left with the scoliosis curve in my neck.

These are pictures of the last brace I wore. I was at the age of 15 yrs old when I wore it. I had been out of wearing a brace for several years and thought I'd never had to wear another one again. Looking at these pictures, the brace looks a bit grizzly. It's pretty old, about 20 yrs old, actually. I'd wear a white cotton t-shirt underneath the brace and then clothes on top of the brace. Wasn't easy to find clothes to fit over that thing. I'm thankful we lived in Indiana because the temperature for the most part was pretty mild.

When I was finally able to stop wearing the brace, I kept it as a reminder of how much I've been through in my life. If I ever get depressed, I'd go to look at it and  realize that I'm just being stupid and to buck up. It works! Trust me!

I'm sure you may be wondering what this has to do with breathing. Well, since I have scoliosis, my ribs are deformed, creating a smaller space to hold my lungs. With a smaller space for my lungs, they can not fully expand to breathe normally. In my early childhood, I had trouble with pnuemonia that caused even more problems to my lungs.

I know the feeling I still have my box aid... I hated it but I remember that with out it I would have never gotten my start on life..

I have scoliosis. Never had to have a brace though, no-one knew about it until I was 21. A student of physiotherapy discovered it when I had a back problem! Doctors confirmed it after that. It hurts sometimes.

I hope your scoliosis isn't severe Loopychick. The only pain I have from my back is in my neck where I had it fused with bone chips from my hip when I was 3 1/2 yrs old. I was in halo traction for 6 months. This is something my mother will write about when she does her "Mother's Perspective." Some of the things we've been through are pretty amazing. Makes me wonder how I've managed to live so long with all the things I've been through.

Hi,
I like your picture and would like to know you better. Sorry about your pain and brace experience.
All the best,
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my name is can erdem
I'm a orthotiz tec. in istanbul turkey I'm intrested scoliosis corset and I'd like to learrn how can I make could you help me
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can erdem
o&p tec.

At the tender age of 41 I was diagnosed with adult scoliosis,and told that I was not a candidate for surgery ,so I was fitted for a modified Milwaukee type brace for pain control and it seems to be doing the trick .when I wear it ,I have no pain and when I do not wear it ,I can barely move, as the pain is crushing .My doc said this was the first time he ever wrote for a Milwaukee for an adult ,but if it works ,so much the better and it has been ,so far. I am now 56 and wear it every day for upto 18hrs ,and have had no pain at all

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That's fabulous Beth-Anne! I'm so happy that your modified Milwaukee back brace can bring you a great deal of comfort. What part of your spine was causing you such pain?

Christine - LivingOnO2forLife Blog Owner

hi, i am 34 and diagnosed as sma type 4 that is causing scoliosis! i too am in a milwaukee brace for pain control and holding me upright. this thing is evil to wear! im told i need it on minimum 20hrs daily. how long did u wear yours and how do i get clothes to fit right!!

central thoracic to lower cervical.I have just gotten a new brace and it is more comfortable than the old one ever was.There is a young girl next door who has seen the old one in the carport and has asked if she ould gove it a go ,and I do not know what to tell her ,should I let her try it ,she has just turned 20 yoa and lives alone

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Hello Beth-Anne,
If your old brace is anything like my old brace, then these are specially made to fit only your body. The girdle portion (hip area) is contoured to fit exactly around your hips. What does your new brace look like if it's not like mine?

Christine

the new brace is all stainless steel and leather ,and has a ratchet device that lengthens it when I relax too much,and then resets when I get out o it at the end of the day,the dr. said that I will have to wear this brace "until further notice ",which I take to mean that I will have to wear it for ever I guess,but if it keeps on doing what the old one has been doing then what the heck ,I will wear it till they tell me not to :-?

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Beth-Anne,

Thank you so much for your comments. I'm curious to see what this all stainless steel brace looks like. I hope it doesn't give you any discomfort like mine did when I was a child. I wore mine for a total of 11 yrs. Hopefully you won't have to go for so long in one. *hug*

Christine

as luck would have it ,my old brace fits the girl next door like it was made for her ,so I let her try it out for a few hours the other day ,and she seems to enjoy it for some unknown reason,and has asked if she could borrow it for a while .I asked my dr .and he said she can wear it all she wants as it will not do any harm to her spine as she has finished growing ,and that she will soon tire of the idea ,and return it to me ,so I let her taki it for as long as she wants -this I do not understand at all -she wants to wear it and I HAVE to wear it ,perhapps I missed something along the way somewhere :o

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That is too amazing! I've tried to get my sisters to wear my brace when we were kids and they wanted nothing to do with it. =o) I guess we both missed something there with your neighbor. With mine, it was a good way to stay thin because I had a plastic girdle that covered my hips and belly. There was no over eating with that on. =o)

Christine

I have been diagnosed with adult scoliosis i'm 41 not a candidate for surgery am being fit for milwaukee brace doctor said it will not fix the problem but should help with pain and prevent it from getting worse curve is between c7@t8 has progressed about 8 degrees in 3yrs should be getting 12 aug.2009 was told this is new style a cross between a boston and a milwaukee plastic lso with foam padding aluminum bar in front steel bars in back with neck ring and throat mold my neck gets soar going up and down thats reason for neck ring do not know how long will have to wear but if it relieves pain and numbness in neck and upper back i'll wear it!! only have to wear brace 12to14 hours a day all the time when i'm home hope this works mike

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Hi Mike,
Thanks for your comment. I'd love to see a picture of your brace. I still have the last one that I wore. Yours sounds almost exactly like mine. You got me curious! =o)

Christine