What health problems can scoliosis cause?
Complications of scoliosis can include:
- Breathing problems (in severe scoliosis)
- Low back pain.
- Lower self-esteem.
- Persistent pain if there is wear and tear of the spine bones.
- Spinal infection after surgery.
- Spine or nerve damage from an uncorrected curve or spinal surgery.
- Leakage of spinal fluid.
Does scoliosis worsen with age?
Scoliosis is a progressive condition – it does tend to get worse as you age.
Is scoliosis a serious condition?
Scoliosis is where the spine twists and curves to the side. It can affect people of any age, from babies to adults, but most often starts in children aged 10 to 15. Scoliosis can improve with treatment, but it is not usually a sign of anything serious and treatment is not always needed if it’s mild.
What happens if scoliosis is not treated?
If it is not treated the degree of scoliosis will usually become worse due to the continual loading on the spine during normal daily activities. The spine will buckle under the added load and the curve will become worse. Women have a further aspect to consider.
How serious is scoliosis?
Mild scoliosis can cause back problems, but severe scoliosis can cause more serious complications such as lung and heart damage. In severe cases, scoliosis can have a devastating effect on quality of life as well as life expectancy.
Can you cure scoliosis without surgery?
Many cases of idiopathic scoliosis can be cured without surgery. Since scoliosis is defined as a lateral deviation of the spine exceeding 10 degrees, a cure is considered to be any treatment that is able to reduce scoliosis to under 10 degrees.
What percentage of people have scoliosis?
Scoliosis affects between 6 and 9 million people—around two to three percent of the population—in the United States. Of those suffering from the disorder, children aged 10 to 15 are the largest age group, and girls are more often affected than boys. While it’s common in this age and gender group,…