Kyphosis

Skeletal spine

Alternative Names

Scheuermann's disease; Roundback; Hunchback; Postural kyphosis

Symptoms

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

Signs and tests

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

Other tests may include:

Spine x-ray
Pulmonary function tests (if kyphosis affects breathing)
MRI (if there may be a tumor, infection, or neurological symptoms)

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Kyphosis

Review Date: 07/17/2008
Reviewed By: Andrew L Chen, MD, MS, Orthopedist, The Alpine Clinic, Littleton, NH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).