Sheila
I have been in back pain since my initial scoliosis surgery seven years ago. Prior to that surgery, I never experienced back pain, and I was told the pain I felt after that surgery would go away. The hardware caused me a great deal of burning pain. Five years after the surgery, I had revision surgery to remove my hardware. Most doctors do not speak about this option, because it is major surgery. It was a very intense 5 hour operation to remove two 12" rods from my back. I am told that I was an unusual case, because new bone had grown and covered about 98% of all of my hardware. I had spent those past five years doing intense body building and long distance running. That caused all the bone growth over my hardware. I was out of work for 2 months recovering from that surgery. But the amazing thing is that the morning after that revision operation, as much pain as I was feeling, I felt the relief of not having all that hardware in my body. I highly recommend having it removed, if it gives you pain. But, it doesn't sound like you have much pain. How lucky are you. I have been in constant pain since my first surgery. The only difference now is that the burning sensation is gone and the degree of the pain is not as intense most of the time. Also, I no longer feel the hooks and bolts poking through my skin, nor do I experience contractions in my back from that hardware. Remember that your back is filled with many nerves and your spine is one of the most delicate parts of your body. Everytime they cut in to your back and hammer and chisel at your spine, they are going to create further damage. I only recommend having the hardware removed, if you truely are in a lot of pain and feel that the actual hardware is causing that pain. Good luck.