Spondylolisthesis: Check out Chiropractic Care

March 26, 2024

Spondylolisthesis. It is one of those long back pain condition words that demands some practice to articulate, 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. Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation knows that the gentler the treatment, the better the outcome; the more stable the spondylolisthesis, the more responsive to conservative care. Some of the latest studies on this spinal condition share hope for pain relief to those in Carrolltown with spondylolisthesis.

WHAT SPONDYLOLISTHESIS IS

A spinal condition that occurs 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 deals with it. Low back pain often accompanies it. Degenerative spondylolisthesis is most often seen at the L4/5 lumbar spine level in adulthood. Non-degenerative spondylolisthesis usually is found at the L5/S1 level. (1) Researchers studied 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% developed degenerative spondylolisthesis while 12%-34% of existing degenerative spondylolisthesis progressed. It’s valuable to note that 2/3 of spondylolisthesis patients’ slips did not progress. (2) Non-progressing is good! Even degenerative is good as it often responds to care. Your Carrolltown chiropractor is ready to help with Carrolltown spondylolisthesis!

CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT OF SPONDYLOLISTHESIS

In our Carrolltown 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 decrease from a 9 to 1 on a 10 point scale in just 9 visits over 4 weeks of care. At 10 years follow up, the patient remained stable. (3) In another case report of a US Marine Veteran, the patient noted a 25% reduction in pain and 22% decrease in disability in 10 treatments over 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 seemed to take 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. In general, 95% of spondylolisthesis patients experienced maximal clinical improvement in less than 90 days. The gentler the treatment the more beneficial 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 enhance function and lessen pain. (6) Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation will share the complete treatment plannutrition, exercise, bracing, treatment - with you.

CONTACT Gormish Chiropractic & Rehabilitation

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 Carrolltown chiropractic appointment today get relief!

Carrolltown spondylolisthesis