Spondylolisthesis: Check out Chiropractic Care
Spondylolisthesis. It is one of those long back pain condition words that calls on some practice to pronounce, and one of those spinal conditions that chiropractic can capably assist in diagnosing, managing, treating, and referring if necessary for other forms of treatment or testing. Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic knows that the gentler the treatment, the better the outcome; the more stable the spondylolisthesis, the more responsive to conservative care. Some of the more recent studies on this spinal condition offer hope for pain relief to those in Augusta with spondylolisthesis.
WHAT SPONDYLOLISTHESIS IS
A spinal condition that happens when one vertebral body (one of the spinal bones) slips forward or backward on the adjacent vertebral body resulting in back and/or leg pain, spondylolisthesis is not too unusual a condition. Approximately 20% of the adult population has it. Low back pain often accompanies it. Degenerative spondylolisthesis is most often diagnosed at the L4/5 lumbar spine level in adulthood. Non-degenerative spondylolisthesis usually is found at the L5/S1 level. (1) Researchers evaluated the natural history of degenerative spondylolisthesis and its related slippage by reviewing published studies. They found that over a 4 to 25 year timespan, 12% to 20% acquired degenerative spondylolisthesis while 12%-34% of existing degenerative spondylolisthesis progressed. It is valuable to note that 2/3 of spondylolisthesis patients’ slips didn’t progress. (2) Non-progressing is good! Even degenerative is good as it often responds to care. Your Augusta chiropractor is ready to help with Augusta spondylolisthesis!
CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT OF SPONDYLOLISTHESIS
In our Augusta chiropractic clinic, spondylolisthesis is treated with the conservative, non-surgical Cox® Technic System. Published studies, case reports, and clinical data have shown treatment outcomes. In a case study of a patient experiencing both an extruded L4/5 disc herniation and a spondylolytic spondylolisthesis at L5/S1, pain was reported to reduce from a 9 to 1 on a 10 point scale in only 9 visits over 4 weeks of care. At 10 years follow up, the patient stayed stable. (3) In another case report of a US Marine Veteran, the patient reported a 25% reduction in pain and 22% decrease in disability with 10 visits in 2 months leading the researchers to close the report with the conclusion that this care may well be a safe and effective approach. (4) Then, in the 1000 cases study with data from 31 different chiropractic clinics, L4/5 spondylolisthesis took more visits and time than L5/S1 spondylolisthesis to experience maximal clinical improvement. The mean number of days to maximal improvement was 29 days and 12 visits regardless of the condition. Overall, 95% of spondylolisthesis patients had maximal clinical improvement in fewer than 90 days. The gentler the treatment the better with spondylolisthesis. (5) Bracing spondylolisthesis (and other chronic spinal conditions like spondylosis and degenerated disc) is a common component of the non-surgical, conservative treatment plan to improve function and lessen pain. (6) Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic will share the complete treatment plan – nutrition, exercise, bracing, treatment - with you.
CONTACT Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Lee Hazen on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Whether you can say spondylolisthesis or not, be sure to make your Augusta chiropractic appointment soon get relief!
