What Does Degenerative Spondylolisthesis Mean?
Spondylolisthesis occurs mainly due to age. The water content in the discs also gets lower and the disc height reduces thus causing this condition. Degenerative spondylolisthesis is the most common of this type and it means the motion of adjacent vertebrae relative to each other.
The reduction in disc height causes the vertebra on one side of the disc to lean towards the vertebra on the other side. The upper vertebra leans onto the sub adjacent vertebra causing spondylolisthesis. Degeneration of discs occurs due to stress and excessive motion and the L4-L5, L3-L4 and L5-S1 are more susceptible to this disease.
Another reason is that the joints which connect the two vertebrae start deteriorating making the facet joints arthritic. These joints then expand to give stability. In this process, the spinal canal becomes narrower and the two vertebral segments slide past each other. This narrowing of the spinal canal along with the enlargement of the facet joints compresses the nerves in two major points causing degenerative spondylolisthesis. The nerve flow also gets reduced because of this.
Spondylolisthesis can be of two types: unilateral and bilateral spondylolisthesis. Both are caused by unilateral and bilateral defects respectively. Most spondylolithesis patients suffer from degenerative back pain and this disease also causes major weakness. In extreme cases, emergency surgery may also be required. Treatment can be physical therapy in a few cases which may ease the back pain but in cases which do not improve by physical therapy, surgery may be advised. For a longer period of relief, epidural injections may be given to lessen the inflammation of the nerve roots. But these have to be monitored carefully because long term, indiscriminate use may lead to abuse. Administration of drugs like narcotics, acetaminophen, anti-depressants, anti-inflammatory agents and muscle relaxants also help in the treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis. This disease can become ugly if not taken care of and it is important to understand all its implications and treatments.
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