Spondylolisthesis Holistic Treatment Options

Spondylolisthesis, a spinal disorder, can result in back pain, nerve damage and even disfigurement. However, it is a medical condition that can often be treated holistically, without the need for medications or invasive procedures, allowing those who are affected by the condition to lead more comfortable, productive lives.

About Spondylolisthesis

• Spondylolisthesis, also known as "slipped disks," is a medical condition in which vertebra in the lower spine slips forward onto a vertebra below.

  Spondylolisthesis is not life-threatening, and it can be anywhere from mild, producing few or no symptoms, to severe.

  Symptoms of spondylolisthesis may include lower back pain, muscle pain or tightness in the back, thighs, and/or buttocks, stiffness, localized pain or tenderness in the area of the slipped vertebra, and, in the most severe cases, nerve damage resulting in leg pain, weakness, numbness and/or tingling.

  Over time, spondylolisthesis can result in lordosis, or swayback, and, further on, kyphosis--a rounded back--as more vertebrae collapse.

Holistic Treatments for Spondylolisthesis

• Although spondylolisthesis is a potentially painful and debilitating condition, the good news is that the treatments health care providers recommend most require no drugs and rarely involve any invasive procedures. The treatment of spondylolisthesis is often holistic in nature simply because the condition usually requires lifestyle changes involving the entire body in addition to targeted treatment.

  Treating spondylolisthesis often begins with activity modification to avoid contact sports and any other activity that involves hyperextension of the back. Contact sports are off-limits, but exercises such as yoga, pilates and isometrics, under a health care provider's supervision, are often prescribed to stretch and strengthen the back. An exercise regimen prescribed for spondylolisthesis provides holistic treatment by improving not only the spinal condition, but the condition of the entire body.

  As another holistic measure, overweight sufferers of spondylolisthesis may be instructed to lose weight. Weight loss can allow for better relief of symptoms in conjunction with other holistic and medical treatments.

  Medical treatments may be used alongside holistic treatments in the management of spondylolisthesis. These treatments can range from minimal to surgical, depending upon the severity of the condition.

  A common medical treatment that works in tandem with holistic treatments for spondylolisthesis is a rigid back brace, which gives the spine the support it needs. Most mild to moderate cases of spondylolisthesis can be managed with a back brace in conjunction with exercise, diet, and activity modification.

  For the most severe cases of spondylolisthesis, surgery may be recommended in addition to other medical and holistic treatments.