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Spondylolisthesis Can Cause Debilitating Back Pain
Spondylolisthesis is just one of several back problems that have countless patients in the doctor’s office every year, looking for relief. A common cause of facet disease, it occurs when a vertebra slips out of place, over the one below it. That happens most often when a fracture decreases the vertebra’s stability or when a disc between vertebra degenerates, failing to hold the vertebra in place and cushion it. Whatever the cause, spondylolisthesis creates extra pressure on nerves, and pain can result.
Spondylolisthesis treatment is determined in part by a grading system doctors use to determine the severity of the case. Each grade—I through V—describes a level of vertebra slippage, with I being minimal and V being the worst. Once the doctor interviews you about your level of pain, other symptoms, and their effect on your lifestyle, and a spondylolisthesis grade is assigned, he or she will determine the best course of treatment. This could involve simply avoiding painful activities until the vertebra has a chance to reposition itself, but other times doctors prescribe physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, or braces to aid in the healing process. For a small percentage of spondylolisthesis patients, surgery is necessary. Traditionally, the condition has been treated with a spinal fusion which joins two adjacent vertebrae together for added stability. Unfortunately, this procedure is not always successful and it can result in reduced mobility or increased back pain among other things. In some cases, minimally invasive endoscopic procedures, like those offered at Laser Spine Institute, can be used to eliminate some spondylolisthesis symptoms.
For more information on this condition or our procedure, contact Laser Spine Institute. We’ll review your MRI or CT scan free of charge.