Spondylolisthesis is a condition where the vertebrae in the backbone slip out of place. An injury most often causes it or because you had hypermobility when sitting too long. Spondylolisthesis is a painful condition, mainly in the lower back. If you have it, you can do several things to relieve its pain and decrease its symptoms. This post will cover different grades of spondylolisthesis and how it can be treated effectively.
Different grades of spondylolisthesis
Generally, there are four different grades of this condition depending on the degree of the slip, and it ranges from grade 1 to grade 4. There is a lot of confusion when people talk about this because many people confuse the grading system with another classification system which is how much slippage occurs on the vertebrae.
Grade 1
This is when the vertebrae are still in place. There are a few things that you can do to get your spine back in alignment.
Many traction devices can help with this condition. These include Traction Tables, Accu-Flex Table, Triangle Traction Tables, and Omni Table. These tables support the weight of your body from the anterior side and take the strain off of the lumbar area of the spine, allowing it to heal more effectively. Once you have reduced inflammation in this area, you should return to more strenuous activities.
Grade 2
This grade is when the vertebrae slip out of place by 1 to 2 mm. In this case, traction tables may not be that effective. The doctor might also recommend surgical intervention, but only after trying other methods to reduce the grade before surgery.
Grade 3
In this case, the slip is more than 2 mm, and surgery will be recommended if these other methods are not effective enough. This can also be treated with traction tables, which are more effective since the vertebrae have slipped more than 2 mm out of place.
Grade 4
This is deemed a permanent condition where the slip is more than 2 mm and the joints can no longer be used. In this case, surgery will be recommended. This can also be treated with traction tables, but if the level of mobility is only 1 or 2 mm, it may not help much.
Preventing spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis can be caused by many injuries, such as sports injuries, car accidents, falls, and more. If you want to prevent this condition, you should ensure that you get the proper nutrition in your diet. You will find that B-Complex Vitamins, Vitamin C and Vitamin E help decrease the swelling in your discs. Another thing that you can do is try Yoga, which is good for strengthening the muscles surrounding your spine, stretching out your joints, and improving flexibility.
Sometimes when you are sitting too long or if you have something pressing against your lower back, the pressure from it can cause it to slip out of place. When this happens, you may experience pain in your legs or back. The pain is usually worse when standing and improves when lying flat on your back. It’s essential that if you feel any of these symptoms, you should make sure to talk to a doctor right away so that you can prevent the slip from getting worse and needing surgery.
Types of surgeries
Many surgeries can replace and implant a new disc in a human spine. These include Lumbar Transforaminal and Transforaminal Laminectomy (LTL and TFL), Percutaneous Discectomy, Open Discectomy, Endovascular Discectomy, spondylolisthesis surgery implant produced by Premia Spine, as an alternative to routine fusion surgery, and the Non-Invasive techniques such as Acupuncture, Neuromuscular Biomodulation, and Stem Cell Therapy. These techniques will depend on the patient’s mobility that is being affected and their condition.
The Lumbar Transforaminal (LT)
This surgery is quite simple. The doctor will make an incision with a knife or scalpel. The lamina is located between the disc and the vertebrae, and some ligaments hold it in place. The doctor will need to remove some of these ligaments if they inhibit normal movement of the spine. After this, the doctor will inject an anesthetic to perform the rest of their examination more easily.
The doctor will then make a small incision at the location where you have pain so that they can get to your epidural space. Once they do that, they will see if the disc is too thin and causing you pain in your legs or back. They will then go ahead and put in a disc replacement device. This is made up of a plastic cup and a titanium cage that goes around it. The cage is what holds everything in place. A much simpler alternative version of this surgery is the percutaneous discectomy, which only takes about 30 minutes from when you arrive at the hospital to when you leave again.
The open discectomy
This procedure is done when some aggressive tumors or infections affect your spine. The doctor will have to make an incision on your back and remove the affected disc to get to the area where they need to do the surgery. They may inject more anesthetics so that they can perform the surgery comfortably. After this is done, they will go ahead and reconstruct your spine. This will involve making sure that everything is back in place and that it is functioning correctly again.
When there are tumors or infections in place, you probably have a lot of inflammation that affects the way your spine works. To reduce inflammation, you may be prescribed steroids and antibiotics so that you can minimize discomfort and gain mobility again as quickly as possible.
Conclusion
Spondylosis is usually not something you want to experience because it can cause much pain and discomfort. However, if you are experiencing spondylolisthesis, getting the proper treatment will help get the symptoms under control and reduce the risk of further damage to your spine. We hope that this was helpful for you and that you got everything you were looking for in this article.