Advances in Mental Health

When you have been experiencing back pain and discomfort for a long period of time, it may be a relief to finally find out that spondylolisthesis is the cause of your back pain. This is because knowing the condition that causes your discomfort is the first step in getting the back pain treatment that you need to feel better. Get to know some of the treatment options available to you for your spondylolisthesis so that you can get started as soon as possible.

Rest and Over-the-Counter Medications

Physicians usually try to start the treatment of back pain and spinal conditions with the easiest and least invasive (as well as least expensive) treatments first. Then, if those treatments are not as effective as they would like, the doctor will move on to more involved treatments.

As such, the first step in treating spondylolisthesis is often rest and over-the-counter medications. While the exact causes of a person's spondylolisthesis may not always be identifiable, physical activity such as training for sports, heavy lifting, and the like can often be the the cause of the vertebrae moving out of place.

Ceasing most physical activity, especially anything strenuous, for a period of several weeks or longer can help to allow your spine to heal. Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen can also help you with your pain and to reduce the swelling that can occur in the spine because of the problems with alignment.

Physical Therapy

Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy when you are diagnosed with spondylolisthesis. Physical therapy can help to relieve your pain and discomfort, but more importantly is designed to help encourage your spine to heal itself and for that bone in your spine to move back into the position it should be in.

With a few physical therapy sessions a week, you will get the guidance from your physical therapist for stretches and exercises to help with your condition. They will also provide you with activities and exercises to perform at home that will continue to help you in the healing process.

Surgery

In severe cases of spondylolisthesis or if your back condition does not respond to other treatments, then surgery may be your best treatment option. Spinal surgery can be performed to remove all or part of the bone that has been displaced to help relieve pressure and prevent the nerves from becoming pinched. 

Spinal fusion surgery is also an option that can improve your condition. This surgical treatment takes separate vertebrae in your spine and binds or fuses them into a single bone. This prevents the movement in the spine that can cause vertebrae and discs to slip out of place and can provide more stability. It also protects the nerves from being negatively impacted.

Now that you know a few of the treatment options for your spondylolisthesis, you can be sure that you and your doctor develop a treatment plan that works for you and gets your back pain under control as soon as possible.