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Get answers to your Spine related questions.
Treatment varies depending on the severity of the condition. Most patients get better with strengthening and stretching exercises combined with activity modification, which involves avoiding hyperextension of the back and contact sports.
Nonsurgical treatments are tried first. This may include:
You should take a break from activities until your symptoms go away. In most cases, you can resume activities slowly.
Surgery to fuse the slipped disc may be needed if you have severe pain that does not get better with treatment, a severe slip of the vertebra, or any neurological changes. Such surgery has a higher rate of nerve injury than most other spinal fusion surgeries. A brace or body cast may be used after surgery.
Periodic x-rays can show whether the vertebra is changing position over time.
Conservative therapy for mild spondylolisthesis is successful in about 80% of cases.
When necessary, surgery leads to satisfactory results in 85 - 90% of people with severe, painful spondylolisthesis.
If too much slippage occurs, the bones may begin to press on nerves. Surgery may be necessary to correct the condition.
Other complications may include:
Call your health care provider if:
Spiegel DA, Hosalkar HS, Dormans JP. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 678.
Rosenbaum RB, Ciaverella DP. Disorders of bones, joints, ligaments, and meninges. In: Bradley WG, Daroff RB, Fenichel GM, Jankovic J, eds. Neurology in Clinical Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2008:chap 77.
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