Adult Scoliosis Treatment in New Jersey & New York
Don't let adult scoliosis symptoms control your life. Our nationally acclaimed, board-certified spine specialists in NJ and NY provide expert adult scoliosis care to heal your back pain and help you live pain-free.
What is Adult Scoliosis?
If you’re suffering from the symptoms of adult scoliosis, you’re likely feeling confused and concerned, especially if you never had spine problems as a child. When we were younger, many of us heard quite a bit about scoliosis in health classes, from our doctor, or maybe even knew someone with pediatric scoliosis. What some people don’t know, however, is that scoliosis can appear in adulthood.
Adult-onset scoliosis is an unnatural curve of the spine ranging from 10 degrees to 80 degrees or more that develops or worsens after your bones have finished growing. This curvature can frequently cause chronic back pain, leg discomfort, and daily limitations. While having adult scoliosis pain might sound concerning, the important thing to remember is that with proper treatment, most adults can manage their scoliosis symptoms effectively and continue living active, fulfilling lives. At the Advanced Spine Center, our board-certified spine specialists have helped thousands of adults find relief from scoliosis pain, and we can help you too.
Adult Scoliosis Symptoms and Signs
Understanding scoliosis symptoms in adults is essential, as early intervention can significantly improve quality of life and prevent debilitating complications. The severity and type of symptoms you experience will depend on how much your spine has curved, where the curvature is located, and the extent of accompanying degenerative changes like arthritis or disc deterioration.
Common adult scoliosis symptoms include:
- Chronic Back Pain: Adult scoliosis most commonly causes persistent lower back pain that may worsen with prolonged standing, walking, or physical activity, unlike childhood scoliosis which is typically painless.
- Leg Pain and Sciatica: Pain may radiate from the curved spine area into the buttocks and legs due to nerve compression caused by spinal imbalance and degenerative changes.
- Postural Changes: Visible signs include uneven shoulders, protruding ribs, uneven hip levels, or a forward-leaning posture that makes it difficult to stand upright.
- Numbness and Weakness: Spinal curvature can compress nerves, causing numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs and feet.
- Fatigue and Muscle Strain: Surrounding muscles work overtime to compensate for spinal imbalance, leading to chronic fatigue and muscle spasms.
- Functional Limitations: Difficulty walking long distances, problems with balance, and in severe cases, breathing difficulties as the curved spine compresses lung capacity.
- Progressive Symptoms: Unlike stable childhood curves, adult scoliosis symptoms often gradually worsen over time, particularly pain that doesn’t improve with rest.
When To See an Adult Scoliosis Doctor or Back Pain Specialist
If you’re experiencing persistent back pain and worsening adult scoliosis symptoms, or if you notice progressive postural changes, the spine specialists at The Advanced Spine Center in New Jersey and New York can provide an accurate diagnosis and personalized adult scoliosis treatment options for your unique condition.
Adult Scoliosis Treatment Options
Our comprehensive adult scoliosis treatments address both the underlying spinal curvature and the complex pain patterns that develop from years of spinal imbalance and degeneration.
Pain Management
Adult scoliosis pain often involves multiple sources including muscle strain, nerve compression, and joint inflammation. Our pain management specialists utilize targeted approaches including anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants, nerve blocks, and advanced injection therapies to provide relief.
When spinal curvature compresses nerves causing leg pain, numbness, or weakness, minimally invasive decompression procedures can relieve pressure on affected nerves without correcting the overall curve. These procedures help create more space for compressed neural structures
Conservative Therapies
Non-surgical treatments form the foundation of adult scoliosis care and include specialized physical therapy focused on core strengthening and postural correction, chiropractic care, and activity modification. These therapies help manage symptoms and may slow curve progression in many patients.
For severe adult scoliosis with rigid, fixed curves, osteotomy procedures involve carefully cutting and realigning vertebrae to achieve better spinal balance and reduce pain. These advanced techniques allow our surgeons to correct even the most complex adult spinal deformities.
What Causes Scoliosis in Adults?
As we age, the cartilage between vertebrae breaks down, creating uneven wear patterns that can cause one side of the spine to deteriorate faster than the other, ultimately leading to an abnormal sideways curvature. This adult onset scoliosis can develop even in people who had perfectly straight spines throughout their younger years.
Other significant causes of scoliosis symptoms in adults include the progression of undiagnosed childhood scoliosis that may have been too mild to detect during adolescence but begins worsening due to spinal aging, or osteoporosis-related vertebral compression fractures that create wedge-shaped bones and cause the spine to curve. While less common, adult scoliosis can also result from spinal tumors, infections, neuromuscular diseases, previous spinal surgeries, or traumatic injuries that affect spinal stability and alignment over time.
What Our Patients Are Saying
I originally had surgery for my scoliosis in 1991. I suffered for the past 12 years with excruciating pain. I went to multiple orthopedics and pain management doctors and all said they couldn’t do more than shots for pain and pain meds. I couldn’t deal with the pain any longer and came across Dr. Lowenstein. At my first appointment he knew exactly what he could do to fix me. … I left for a vacation shortly after [treatment] and cannot believe I’ve had no pain at all since. My 12 year old is so happy that he has his mom back since I was in constant pain his whole life.
-Gina K. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For many years, the thought of getting my scoliosis corrected was not received by any doctor. That all changed after my first visit with Dr Lowenstein. After I told him my story, he said to me ‘I am going to fix you.’ He truly cares, and is truly passionate about this. If you are looking to get fixed, or help, or better yet, listened to.. you’d be wise to go see him and his team. I am 7 months removed from a full spinal fusion to correct my scoliosis. I am virtually straight, and feel so good. This changed my life and I will always be grateful for coming in to see him that day when I thought I had no options left.
-Dan P. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Advanced is an understatement, Exceptional is more like it. Meticulous, approachable, genuinely caring about your result. Dr. Naseef is a gem, humble and so skilled that hospital staff went out of their way, unsolicited, to inform me that I had the best surgeon working on my spine. Look no further if you need spinal surgery.
-Jeff E. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Minimally Invasive Surgery for Adult Scoliosis Pain
When conservative treatments aren’t enough, our minimally invasive adult scoliosis surgery options provide effective pain relief with faster recovery times than traditional open procedures. These advanced techniques include:
- Minor Incisions – Minimized scarring and improved cosmetic results for adult patients
- Quicker Recovery – Shorter hospital stays and quicker return to daily activities
- Reduced Pain – Less post-operative discomfort and decreased reliance on pain medications
- Superior Results – Effective curve correction while maintaining spinal flexibility and function
The experienced spine surgeons at the Advanced Spine Center specialize in complex adult spine deformity correction while minimizing surgical trauma and preserving healthy tissue for patients throughout NY and NJ. Take a moment to complete our online scoliosis quiz or request an appointment with one of our nationally acclaimed, board-certified spine specialists now.
Why Choose Us for Advanced Spine Care
The Advanced Spine Center in New Jersey is recognized as a leading destination for spine treatment in the nation. Patients choose us for their spine treatment because we offer:
Comprehensive Care
From initial evaluation to post-surgical care, we provide complete spine care. Our multidisciplinary team ensures optimal outcomes for every patient.
Advanced Technology
State-of-the-art imaging, surgical navigation systems, and minimally invasive instruments enable precise, safe spine care with excellent results.
Convenient Location
Easily accessible in New Jersey and New York , our modern facility provides comfortable care in a convenient location. Plus, patients from across the nation, and even world wide, find come to us!
Frequently Asked Questions About Pediatric Scoliosis
Yes, many adult scoliosis cases respond well to conservative treatments including physical therapy, medications, injections, and lifestyle modifications. Adult scoliosis surgery is typically reserved for severe cases with significant pain or functional limitations.
Adult scoliosis can progress, especially in cases involving spinal degeneration. Regular monitoring and appropriate treatment can help slow progression and manage symptoms effectively.
Adult scoliosis often causes more pain due to spinal degeneration and arthritis, while pediatric scoliosis is typically painless. Adult cases focus more on pain management and function rather than curve correction alone.
Adult scoliosis most commonly develops after age 50, with the highest prevalence in adults over 65. However, young adult scoliosis can develop due to progression of undiagnosed childhood curves or degenerative changes from injury or disease.
Adult scoliosis pain is often characterized by chronic lower back discomfort that worsens with standing or walking, may radiate into the legs, and is accompanied by visible postural changes like uneven shoulders or hips. A proper evaluation including X-rays is needed for accurate diagnosis.
Yes, targeted exercises focusing on core strengthening, flexibility, and postural correction can significantly improve adult scoliosis symptoms. Physical therapy specifically designed for scoliosis can reduce pain, improve function, and help prevent curve progression in many cases.
Ready to Take the Next Step in Your Spine Care?
Don’t let scoliosis or back pain limit your life. Contact the leading spinal specialists in NJ & NY today!
