I hate my job and feel trapped by my lack of money. Now I’m starting to have back pain. I used to have scoliosis as a kid. Am I just having a stress reaction? Or could it be the scoliosis coming back?

Back pain is a common problem among adults around the world. At some time in their lives, most adults will experience low back pain (LBP). Most of the time, it goes away on its own. Stress and psychosocial factors such as job, money, and relationships does seem to be connected with LBP.

Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) doesn’t really go away. Treatment (such as bracing or surgery) in childhood and adolescence is done to keep it from getting worse. Once growth is complete, the scoliosis often stabilizes (stops getting worse).

Adults who had scoliosis as a child probably still have scoliosis. Severe scoliosis is linked with back pain in adults. But the general incidence, frequency, and intensity of LBP aren’t different between adults with or without scoliosis.

So, your back pain may be a response to stress. Or it could be caused by something else altogether. If it persists (doesn’t go away) and/or gets worse, see a doctor. If there’s something else going on besides stress or scoliosis, early diagnosis and treatment can make a difference in the final results.

There is some evidence to suggest that rotation of the vertebrae leading to dislocation in adults with scoliosis should be prevented or stopped. This condition can lead to severe chronic low back pain.