• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Kyphosis

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Scheuermann's disease; Roundback; Hunchback; Postural kyphosis

Symptoms:

• Mild back pain
• Fatigue
• Tenderness and stiffness in the spine
• Round back appearance
• Difficulty breathing (in severe cases)

Signs and tests:

Physical examination by a health care provider confirms the abnormal curvature of the spine. The doctor will also look for any neurologic changes (weakness, paralysis, or changes in sensation) below the level of the curve.

A spine x-ray will be done to document the severity of the curve and allow serial measurements to be performed.

Occasionally, pulmonary function tests may be used to assess whether the kyphosis is affecting breathing.

If there is any question of a tumor, infection, or neurologic symptoms, then an MRI may be ordered.

• Review Date: 10/23/2006
• Reviewed By: Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.