Back pain is a common issue experienced by people of all ages. No matter what your age is, if you have poor body posture, are practicing a sedentary lifestyle, or have undergone any injuries or muscle strain, you tend to face back pains at one point or another. For some individuals, chronic or recurring back pain could be a sign of a more serious underlying condition like scoliosis. But how to identify if back pain is signaling scoliosis? Let’s delve deep and understand the connection between back pain and scoliosis.
What is Scoliosis?
Before we proceed and learn about the connection between back pain and scoliosis, let’s understand what scoliosis is. Scoliosis is a spinal deformity causing abnormal sideways curvature of the spine. Under this condition, the spine curves to the side and forms shapes like ‘C’ or ‘S’ when viewed from the back. While most scoliosis cases are mild and don’t cause significant symptoms, severe cases can result in discomfort and pain. It can occur at any age and is progressive, which means it can worsen over time if no proactive actions are taken. There are different types of scoliosis: idiopathic scoliosis, neuromuscular scoliosis, congenital scoliosis, and degenerative scoliosis. Know more about different types of scoliosis.
Back Pain and Scoliosis- Is There Any Link?
Back pain is not always associated with scoliosis, especially in mild cases. However, there are cases where scoliosis is the culprit of the undergoing discomfort and pains. When an individual is going through scoliosis, the alignment of the body gets affected, putting strain on muscles, ligaments, and nerves. This causes stiffness, and pain, and reduces the mobility of the body. In comparison to children, back pain associated with scoliosis is more severe in adults. This is when the condition is left to progress unimpeded over the years. To know if your back pain is the resultant cause of scoliosis, watch out for these symptoms.
Persistent Pain in Lower Back
If you are going through a persistent pain in your lower back that doesn’t get away after rest or stretches then it’s a sign that scoliosis is putting stress on your spine and surrounding muscles. This pain is in the form dull ache or stiffness in the lower back.
Difficulting in Standing and Sitting for Long Periods
Another symptom of scoliosis is difficulty in sitting and standing for long periods. Individuals with scoliosis find difficulty in maintaining posture, as scoliosis causes strain and affects different parts of the back.
Reduced Range of Motion
If you find it difficult to bend, twist, or move comfortably and can feel stiffness or tightness in your back, then there is a risk of having severe scoliosis.
So, do watch out for these symptoms and if you suspect scoliosis might be the cause of your back pain, then seek medical advice. Visit a healthcare professional or schedule an appointment at Scoliosis GTA, where we conduct physical examinations and X-rays to assess your spine, posture, and range of motion. According to your condition, we will guide you with the treatment options that are best suitable for you and further, you can get your corrective braces for scoliosis. Areas we serve include Greater Toronto Area including Keswick, Sharon, Sutton, Newmarket, Aurora, Bradford, Oakridge, Markham, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, North York, Peel Region, Simcoe, Vaughan, Scarborough, Brampton, Mississauga, York Region, Ontario, Canada.