Hitchin teen overcomes scoliosis pains with non-surgical treatment to restart her modelling career

An aspiring model has her life back on track after discovering treatment for her debilitating condition.

Jess Lewis, from Hitchin, went from being an active young woman to pain-riddled after being diagnosed with scoliosis.

Within months, the spinal deformity, which leads to the curvature of the spine, left Jess in agonising pain.

The 17-year-old said: "I was in constant pain on a daily basis and my whole world had fallen apart.

"I lost interest in everything and I had no quality of life at all.

"I had gone from being really confident in my body to wanting to hide away at every opportunity."

She was faced with the prognosis of needing a 12-hour operation to fuse her spine.

This risky procedure would have restricted her mobility and shattered her modelling hopes.

She turned to the internet in search of an alternative to surgery.

It was at this time she discovered the Scoliosis SOS Centre, which is based in London.

The clinic, founded and run by a scoliosis sufferer, Erika Maude, offers non-surgical treatments to relieve symptoms of the disorder.

Jess entered a four-week course and was overwhelmed by the benefit.

In weeks she went from lying awake at night in pain to regaining her confidence and restarting her modelling career.

"I am so happy, it is remarkable how far I have come," she said.

"When I found the SOS clinic, my life changed. I could see a future with my condition and I was back in control.

"I wanted to avoid the surgery, but it was an option I would have considered if there was no alternative.

"Being in constant pain and discomfort and being paranoid about what my back looked like was just not an option.

"I am only in my teens and I am a very ambitious person.

"Keeping fit, my appearance and my education all mean everything to me so I was always going to do whatever it took to get my life back on track."

Source: Hert ford Shire Mercury , 29th April 2015