Scoliosis is a complex condition that comes in many different forms, varies greatly in severity from one patient to the next, and manifests itself in all kinds of different ways. The symptoms of scoliosis are many and varied: a curved spine can cause pain, stiffness, muscle imbalance, and even heart/lung problems in particularly critical cases.

However, for many scoliosis sufferers – particularly those who are young and have only recently been diagnosed – the most daunting potential consequence of spinal curvature is the impact it can have on one’s appearance.

Curvature of the spine can affect your appearance in a number of different ways. Common visible symptoms of scoliosis include:

• A sideways lean
• Uneven or tilted shoulders, hips, legs and/or rib cage
• Unusually prominent shoulder blade and/or ribs on one side

How to combat the visible symptoms of scoliosis

 

The difficulty with this arises because symptoms often vary from case to case and can be difficult to spot until the curvature is at a later stage of progression. For this reason, it is important to familiarise oneself with the range of symptoms which may be signs of scoliosis, in order to ensure that appropriate treatment is provided as early as possible. 

 

Here’s a closer look at some of the signs of scoliosis across all the age ranges:

In children under the age of five, the condition is referred to as early-onset or infantile scoliosis and can be classified as one of the several possible forms of the disease, including congenital, syndromic and neuromuscular. In those aged 3 or under, this can be difficult to detect and can have a number of outcomes depending on each case. For some, the curve may improve, while other cases will see the curve progress as the child continues to grow. To help spot possible symptoms and signs of scoliosis as soon as possible, here are a few signs to keep in mind: 

• A difference in shoulder height.
• Unusual head position (not centred with the rest of the body).
• Hip and shoulder blade height/position. 
• The way arms hang beside the body when standing.
• The sides of the back having an uneven appearance when bending forward.

 

This is the age group that is most commonly impacted by idiopathic scoliosis, developing during puberty as the body begins to grow more rapidly. The majority of curves tend to slow in progression as the individual matures, however, the most severe curves will continue to progress into adulthood. Although some scoliosis sufferers experience pain as a result of their condition, this is not true of every case. Meaning that other symptoms should also be taken into consideration alongside this. Signs of scoliosis in adolescents include:

• Rib hump/prominence: a lateral shift of the chest relative to the pelvis.
• Shoulder height asymmetry where one shoulder appears higher than the other.
• Torso leaning to the right or left, which can also result in one hip appearing higher, or one leg appearing longer than the other.
• Pain in the lower back (particularly inactive individuals).
• Uneven skin folds where one side indents more than the other.

Take a look at our video here on how to check for signs of scoliosis in your child:

 

While the signs of scoliosis are usually spotted at an earlier age, there are cases of scoliosis which develop or manifest themselves in older patients. Although early-onset cases and syndrome-connected forms of scoliosis are known to impact adults, the two main forms of adult scoliosis are adult idiopathic scoliosis and adult degenerative scoliosis. Both these forms of the disease are progressive over time, with those of 50 degrees progressing more rapidly than those beneath this threshold. In the case of degenerative scoliosis, this is caused by a degeneration of the discs, arthritis of the facet joints, and the collapse/wedging of disc spaces, typically seen in the lumbar area of the spine. Signs of scoliosis in adults include:

• Lower back pain and stiffness.
• Leaning forwards due to trapped nerves/loss of natural curve. 
• Numbness and shooting pains in the legs.
• Fatigue due to stress on lower back and leg muscles, which are placed under strain as a result of the curvature.
• Shortness of breath due to reduced lung capacity (in severe cases).

First of all, it is important to note that scoliosis is NOT considered to be a fatal condition. A curved spine cannot directly result in death.

However, there are some secondary risks which sometimes occur as a result of scoliosis, and these can lead to death in a small minority of cases. 

In its most severe form, scoliosis can affect the heart and lungs, limiting their ability to function and leading to complications that can potentially result in death. The deformity of the spine and chest wall can restrict lung function, thus reducing oxygen circulation, causing lung tissue to die off and preventing healthy lung growth in younger patients. This can also impact the heart’s ability to function correctly, as the lack of oxygen and proper distribution causes progressive stress, along with the crowding of the organs.

This only occurs in patients with the most severe curvatures (i.e. 100 degrees or more). The symptoms of such conditions also become gradually worse over time, which completely eliminates the possibility that scoliosis could cause sudden death with no prior warning or opportunity to prevent it. Treatment is almost always administered long before the condition has an opportunity to progress to this point, which usually prevents the secondary risks from developing altogether.

Most cases of scoliosis develop during adolescence, although the condition can sometimes occur in very young children. Progressive infantile scoliosis is considered to present a higher risk to the patient than scoliosis that develops later in life due to the potential impact on a young, developing body and the risk of progression as the child matures. For this reason, preventative treatments such as bracing are usually recommended right away in order to reduce the risk of later-in-life complications as far as possible.

Once an individual’s spinal curve has reached an angle of 45-50 degrees, surgery is usually recommended in order to prevent the curve progressing to such an extent that it has a secondary impact on the individual’s health. While the surgery can be a permanent solution to the progression of a spinal curvature, there are several associated risks which can arise as a result of surgery – infection, for example.

That being said, death during spinal fusion surgery is very rare indeed, especially among patients who are in good health aside from their scoliosis. For otherwise healthy patients, the incidence of death as a complication of surgery is said to be less than 1%. The risk is higher for those with other conditions, as well as for older patients, although it is important to note that this is also applies to any other surgical procedure.

While a handful of scoliosis cases have led to the patient’s death, there are many preventative measures which can be taken in order to avoid this outcome. Here at Scoliosis SOS, we specialise in providing individually-tailored correction treatments that are designed with the patient’s specific requirements in mind. We have treated patients as young as 4 and as old as 90+, all with spinal curvatures of varying severity. By educating patients about their condition and teaching them the exercises needed to prevent future curve progression, we are able to avoid the risks associated with severe scoliosis and surgery, further reducing the already low chance of death by scoliosis.

 

Given that scoliosis is a disorder of the spine, you might assume that the pain experienced by some scoliosis sufferers is exclusively concentrated in the back. But a person with a curved spine may also notice a degree of shoulder pain in addition to (or instead of) the more common back pains.

 

When a curved spine causes shoulder pain, it usually happens because the curve is located near the top of the spine and the muscles in this region are working harder than normal to control – and compensate for – the unusual angle. This puts a strain on those muscles, which may be felt as an ache or pain in the shoulder.

 

The important thing to remember is that no two scoliosis patients have exactly the same experience. Even two people with exactly the same Cobb angle may report drastically different symptoms: one may feel no discomfort at all, while the other may be in such extreme pain that they require medication just to make it through the day.

 

The above applies to shoulder pain just as much as it applies to back pain. Shoulder pain (when it arises as the result of a spinal curvature) is usually limited to an achy or uncomfortable feeling – some scoliotics report feeling like they have a ‘knot’ in their shoulder – but it can be more severe in some cases.

 

Extreme pain arising from a curvature of the spine may be treated using pain relief medication (various strengths may be prescribed depending on the severity of the pain). 

 

However, we at the Scoliosis SOS Clinic have found that an exercise-based physiotherapy regime – namely our own ScolioGold programme – can be very effective for relieving back and shoulder pain. We use a combination of methods, including Kinesio Taping and myofascial release, to reduce pain and inflammation while improving mobility and generally helping the patient to live a more comfortable life.

Phoebe from Crystal Palace is one of the many scoliosis sufferers whose shoulder pain we have helped to alleviate. Watch the video below to find out what she thought of her time at the Scoliosis SOS Clinic:

 

 

Other Useful Links:

• Is Scoliosis Painful?
• Scoliosis Pain Relief: What Options Are Available?
• Scoliosis Research: Pain Reduction (PDF file)

 

However, it is possible to avoid all of this hardship, and your chances of doing so are greatly increased if your scoliosis symptoms are spotted, diagnosed, and treated as early as possible – that is, before the curve has a chance to progress too far. In order to spot spinal problems early and nip them in the bud (so to speak), you need to know the early scoliosis symptoms and act as soon as you notice them developing. Here are some of the main scoliosis symptoms to look out for:

• Shoulders sitting at different heights
• One shoulder blade being noticeably more prominent than the other
• Body leaning to one side
• Uneven hips, legs, waist, and/or rib cage

If you or your child display any of the scoliosis symptoms listed above, you would be well advised to attend a scoliosis screening as soon as possible. It may be nothing to worry about, but if these symptoms are traced back to scoliosis or a similar spinal condition, early detection will give you (or your child) the best possible chance of beating the condition with minimal difficulty.

 

 

Sara is a nine-year-old girl from Hitchin who came to the Scoliosis SOS Clinic shortly after being diagnosed with scoliosis. Sara’s family had a history of scoliosis, including her brother who needed scoliosis surgery. Due to this, Sara’s mother was on the lookout for scoliosis symptoms in Sara and as soon as she noticed the symptoms in her daughters back, she took her for a consultation. Sara was then diagnosed with a 17-degree curvature in her spine.

Even though 17 degrees is not the most debilitating case of scoliosis, Sara’s mother recognised the need to improve her daughter’s condition before the curvature had the chance to progress even further and cause more severe scoliosis symptoms. Eager to avoid the same path Sara’s brother had taken with scoliosis surgery, Sara’s mother decided to bring her to our Scoliosis SOS clinic for physical therapy.

They decided to split up the course into two-week bouts at different times to fit around Sara’s schooling. Sara found she was a bit nervous at first but became accustomed to the course after the first couple of days. After the first two weeks, Sara and her mother continued practicing the exercises at home which made it easier for Sara when she returned for another 2 weeks.

After the completion of the course, they had some incredible results and found that the Cobbs angle had been reduced from 17 degrees to just 7.

 

 

 

Sara’s story proves that keeping an eye out for the early symptoms of scoliosis can prove incredibly beneficial in the long run. The sooner you spot the spinal condition, the quicker and more efficiently it can be treated. 

 

If you would like to book a scoliosis consultation for yourself or a loved one, please call the Scoliosis SOS Clinic on 0207 488 4428 or get in touch here. Consultations can be conducted via Skype or over the phone if you are unable to attend our clinic in person.