Spondylolisthesis and Back Pain
Kevin Caldbeck
It is estimated that approximately 80% of people will have some sort of lower back problem during their life. Most of the time these problems will go away with time and proper care, and not have any long last effects.
Your back is made up of bone, muscles, nerves and other soft tissues. Just about every move we make depends upon our back being healthy. When something goes amiss it can severely hamper the person's lifestyle.
Unfortunately, back pain can happen to anyone, at any time. This pain can cause mild discomfort, to a very severe pain that seriously keeps the person from doing anything.
Common triggers for Back Pain include:
- poor posture,
- lack of exercise,
- standing or bending down for long periods,
- sitting in a chair that doesn’t provide enough back support,
- sleeping on a bed that doesn’t provide enough back support,
- lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling loads that are too heavy, or doing these things in the wrong way,
- a trip or fall.
- automobile accidents,
- being overweight,
Many of these things can be avoided with proper training about protecting your back.
Spondylolisthesis and Back Pain
If you have never heard of Spondylolisthesis before, you are probably not too worried about it. The name alone sounds confusing enough. But if you are suffering from back pain this is one ailment that may be causing you the discomfort. Spondylolisthesis is caused when your lower back joints are unstable.
If you are having lower back pain, and it has not gone away after a couple of months of treatment, you will want to go to the doctor so that they can check you out for Spondylolisthesis. Your doctor will run a variety of different tests on your back including X-rays, and many other diagnostic tests.
The rear part of the vertebrae has joints that act as hinges; this allows your spine to bend and twist. It is what makes it possible for humans to bend down and turn; without these hinges you would not be able to do much of anything at all. The problem with this part of the back is that these hinges can crack, which will cause you a lot of pain and discomfort. When part of the posterior element crack it leads to Spondylolisthesis. Spondylolisthesis is when the cracked posterior element causes the vertebrae to slide forward, and out of its normal housing.
Many people are not familiar with the symptoms of Spondylolisthesis; this is why they usually overlook it as one of the problems that they may be suffering from. Some of the symptoms include, but are not limited to: lower back pain, buttocks pain, numbness, weakness in the legs, tingling,
The people that suffer from this most often are the ones that take place in many activities that include a lot of bending and arching of the back. Many gymnasts suffer from Spondylolisthesis because they are constantly forcing their back to bend to their limits.
The treatment of Spondylolisthesis many times includes surgery. During surgery, surgical instrumentations are inserted as a way of locking vertebrae in place. Most doctors will try to avoid this at all costs by prescribing pain medications and an anti-inflammatory. They will also recommend that the patient stays in bed for a couple of days without exercise.
A doctor will be able to successfully diagnose you with this problem without much problem at all. This is why it is very important to seek out professional help if your back pain does not desist after a couple of weeks. If Spondylolisthesis is left untreated, it can end up causing a lot more problems down the road.
Overall, Spondylolisthesis is a very serious ailment that should not be taken lightly. If your back pain does not go away after a couple of days there is a good chance that you are suffering from this problem. But there is no way to be absolutely positive unless you visit a doctor. They will be able to run the proper diagnostic tests to figure out exactly what is wrong with you. Remember, it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to back pain.
We at Better Your Health hope you have found this article about Spondylolisthesis and Back Painto be very helpfull in your quest to learn more about Back Pain.
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