Severe Numbness & Pain Due to Spondylolisthesis

Spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebra (bone in the spine) slips forward onto a bone underneath. The severity of symptoms will depend on how much of the vertebra has moved forward onto the one below. While many people respond well to conservative treatments, severe pain and numbness indicate a more advanced injury requiring further intervention.

Cause

• The slipped vertebra puts excessive pressure on the surrounding nerves. This can lead to severe pain in the back and legs as well as numbness in the legs. The more severe your symptoms, the further the vertebra has slipped forward.

Medications

• Certain medications can ease the pain and numbness of spondylolisthesis. Doctors might give you anti-inflammatory medications that work on the nerves and muscles as well as epidural steroid injections to ease numbness in the legs, according to Dr. Jason Eck in his article on Medicinenet.com.

Bracing

• If your pain and numbness results from isthmic spondylolisthesis---a form that occurs when a small break in the bone that connects the two joints behind each spinal segment causes the vertebra to slip forward---you might benefit from a hyperextension brace. This brace lengthens the spine and helps put the bone back in the right place.

Surgery

• If severe pain and numbness do not resolve with non-surgical treatments, you might need surgery. Making more room for the nerve roots can relieve the numbness. Fusing the vertebrae together will prevent further slippage.

Success

• Surgical intervention provides good results in 85 to 90 percent of patients with severe spondylolisthesis, according to the National Library of Medicine.