Does Scoliosis Get Worse with Age?

Think back on your middle school days. Chances are your school hosted a scoliosis screening to detect signs of a sideways curvature in your spine. While it may seem like a fairly remote possibility, scoliosis is a common spine issue for young Americans. About three million new cases of scoliosis are diagnosed every year in the United States.

But does scoliosis get worse as you get older? Scoliosis is a progressive condition, says Neil Bhamb, MD. Early detection is your first line of defense and is the key to living with scoliosis. In this blog, we’ll explain what scoliosis is, how it’s treated, and how natural aging affects the condition.

What is scoliosis?

Let’s start by first explaining what constitutes a scoliosis diagnosis. Scoliosis is a progressive condition that presents as an abnormal “S” or “C” shaped curvature of the spine. Your physician measures scoliosis in degrees of the angle of the curvature. A curvature of 10 degrees or greater constitutes a scoliosis diagnosis.

The degree of the angle of the curvature not only corresponds with the severity of the condition but also the treatment options. A mild curve is a curve of less than 20 degrees. A curve of 25 to 40 degrees is considered to be a moderate curve. A severe case of scoliosis is a curve of more than 50 degrees.

Although children and adults can have scoliosis, adolescents between the ages of 10 and 12 years old are the most common group affected by the condition, with more girls than boys experiencing more severe symptoms. Adult scoliosis patients tend to either have had scoliosis from childhood, were surgically treated for the condition when they were children, or who suffer from adult-onset scoliosis brought on by degeneration of the small joints.

Scoliosis may worsen with age

Regardless of whether your scoliosis developed in childhood or as an adult, getting older may impact your symptoms. Many children experience the most dramatic scoliosis changes when they are experiencing growth spurts, but once puberty ends, Generally their scoliosis doesn’t worsen.

Although scoliosis research has shed some light on many aspects of the condition, predicting curve progression is still challenging. Factors such as the location and severity of the curve and the patient’s age are key mitigating factors. For instance, upper and middle back curves and S-curves in the lower back are more likely to worsen as well as more severe curves.

Monitoring and treating scoliosis

Scoliosis is highly treatable, although a vast majority of patients with scoliosis are closely monitored, but don’t actually require treatment. Only an estimated 30% of patients with scoliosis require medical interventions such as bracing, and about 10% of patients require surgery.

Surgery reserved for severe cases

In rare cases, your physician may recommend spine surgery, especially when:

the curvature is over 45 degrees and bracing failed to stop the curve progression
the patient has ongoing pain and discomfort
scoliosis is causing a physical deformity, or organ damage, or is interfering with lung function and breathing.

Spine fusion

Our fellowship-trained spine surgeon Neil Bhamb, MD, is an expert in the care of spinal abnormalities, including scoliosis. Dr. Bhamb recommends spine fusion when he deems spine surgery to be the best treatment option for severe cases of scoliosis.

With spine fusion, Dr. Bhamb joins two or more vertebrae to prevent movement between the bones, eliminating a common source of pain. Fusion surgery addresses the pain and further scoliosis progression and can tackle issues like spinal injuries, lumbar instability, and spondylolisthesis.

Minimally invasive surgical approaches available

Spine surgery may sound a little scary, however, Dr. Bhamb is a renowned expert in performing minimally invasive spine surgery or MISS and ESS, endoscopic spine surgery. Both surgical approaches mean less trauma to the body, which results in quicker recovery times, less pain, and a reduced risk for surgical complications.

In contrast to traditional open surgery, with MISS, Dr. Bhamb makes a small incision and gains access to the surgical area using a tubular retractor to separate muscles from the spine instead of cutting through muscles.

ESS takes this approach to the next level, which generally enhances a standard range of spine mobility post-surgery. With ESS, Dr. Bhamb makes smaller incisions compared to MISS and uses small tools and a camera or endoscope to guide him during surgery. He can even add robotic-assisted variation to ESS.

If you or your child is experiencing scoliosis symptoms, contact the office of Neil Bhamb, MD at our Century City or Marina Del Rey, California office for a consultation. Book your appointment online or call the office convenient for you. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial in managing the symptoms and improving the quality of life now and in the future.