Spondylolisthesis Treatment

Any health condition that deals with the back or spine is potentially serious. Luckily treatment options for spondylolisthesis are relatively straight forward and surprisingly non-invasive.

Facts

• Spondylolisthesis is a condition where there is slippage of one of the vertebra forward or backward as compared to the adjacent upper or lower vertebra. Almost 5 percent of the population (more men than women) have this condition in varying degrees with most are not even aware of the problem until an X-ray confirms it.

Identification

• Spondylolisthesis is identified by grade to determine the severity of the problem and type is usually associated with how the condition occurred in the body. The grades are as follows:
  • Grade 1: 25 percent slippage
  • Grade2: 50 percent slippage
  • Grade 3: 75 percent slippage
  • Grade 4: 100 percent slippage
  • Grade 5: vertebra has completely fallen off the other vertebra
  The types of spondylolisthesis are classified by criteria such as is the slippage due to trauma (either one instance or continuous), a degenerative condition such as arthritis, a defect in the vertebra formation (congenital) or a pathological agent such as a tumor.

Prognosis

• Spondylolisthesis is a condition that is extremely hard to avoid in the course of regular daily life. We all lift, twist, enjoy sports, work out and run the risk of falling in a way that could compress our spine. The good news is this is a relatively easy condition to treat if complications do not occur and most people find it rarely limits them in enjoying all their favorite activities.

Treatment for Mild Spondylolisthesis

• Most people who have Spondylolisthesis require no treatment for this condition; it is usually not overly painful or damaging in most cases. People experiencing pain are usually told to refrain from activities that jar their spines such as certain sports or heavy lifting. Regular monitoring of this condition by a doctor to ascertain if it is worsening is the only action required.

Treatment for Severe Spondylolisthesis

• If the pain worsens or the patient experiences tingling or numbness in the extremities or reduced bowel and bladder control then other treatment options become necessary.
  • The first step of alleviating the patient's continued discomfort is bed rest and strict regulation of activities. Often physiotherapy or chiropractic intervention will accompany this initial action.
  • Medication is sometimes prescribed to help with the symptoms of spondylolisthesis. The medication is supposed to reduce the pain, inflammation and in some cases muscle spasms. Certain steroids have been found effective in treatment regimes.
  • In severe cases of Spondylolisthesis surgery is the treatment choice. This surgery will concentrate on relieving the pressure on the spine by fusing the spine to create a stable structure that will reduce the slippage.