ZocdocAnswersIs my strange back shape due to sclerosis?


Is my strange back shape due to sclerosis?

Could sclerosis be the reason my spine goes to the side a little bit. I am a construction worker and need to deal with this back pain.


I think the word you are looking for is 'scoliosis' which is the term for a deviation of the spine to the side from its normal straight up and down orientation. Mild scoliosis, which is what it sounds like you probably have, is relatively common, affecting a few percent of the general population. When dealing with scoliosis like this, the first step is to make sure that it is not associated with an underlying medical problem. About two thirds of cases of scoliosis are not associated with any other underlying medical condition, but you should see your primary care doctor to make sure that this is the case for you. Given your age and the type of work that you do, there could be many causes of back pain, and these may or may not be related to your scoliosis. Mild scoliosis is asymptomatic in most cases, and so I would definitely recommend that you describe the type of back pain symptoms you are having to your primary care doctor to make sure there is not something else going on, such as a muscle spasm, pinched nerve, slipped disk, etc. Based on what your doctor finds, they will be able to recommend an appropriate treatment.

