What is Pain? Different Medical Conditions
Medical Conditions
Back and Neck pain is extremely complex. And dome of the medical term that are used by health professionals. It can often be confusing.
Amongst some of the more common conditions are:
Understanding Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is a condition where a vertebra slips forward on the vertebra below it. (see image)
In children this normally occurs between the fifth lumbar vertebra and the first sacral vertebra and is often due to a congenital malformation of that region of the spine.
In adults, the most common cause is degenerative disease (like arthritis) and the slip usually occurs between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae.
Other causes of spondylolisthesis include stress fractures (caused by repetitive hyper-extension of the back, commonly seen in gymnasts), and traumatic fractures. Spondylolisthesis may occasionally be associated with bone diseases.
How severe?
Spondylolisthesis may vary from mild to severe. It is associated with and can produce increased lordosis (abnormal convexity of the spine or swayback), but in later stages may result in kyphosis (roundback) as the upper spine "falls off" the lower spine.
There is a grading for spondylolisthesis depending on the amount of slippage of the vertebra involved. Grade 1 is the mildest designation while grade 5 is the most severe slippage.
| Grade 1: | 25% of the vertebral body slipped forward |
| Grade 2: | 50% |
| Grade 3: | 75% |
| Grade 4: | 100% |
| Grade 5: | Vertebral body completely fallen off (spondyloptosis) |
Symptoms
Symptoms may include lower back pain and pain in the thighs and buttocks, stiffness, muscle tightness, and tenderness in the slipped area. Neurologic damage (leg weakness or changes in sensation) may result from pressure on nerve roots and may cause pain radiating down the legs. Symptoms include:
- marked lordosis
- lower back pain
- localized tenderness over the spine just above the pelvis
- pain in thighs
- pain in buttocks
- tight hamstrings
- stiffness in back
>>What treatment options are available?
References
- Evaluation of Specific Stabilizing Exercise in. the treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain with Radiologic Diagnosis of Spondylosis and Spondylolisthesis, O'Sullivan, G. Allison, Spine Vol 22 November 1997
- Exercise as a treatment for chronic low back pain, Rainville et al. The Spine Journal 4 (2004) 106?15
- Stabilizing training compared with manual treatment in sub-acute and chronic low-back pain, Rasmussen-Barr et al, Manual Therapy (2003) 8(4), 233?41
- Achieving Spine Stability: Blending Engineering and Clinical Approaches, S. McGill, 4th Interdisciplinary World Congree on Low Back & Pelvic Pain, November 2001
- The stabilising system of the spine. Part I.Function, dysfunction, adaptation and enhancement., Panjabi MM, Journal of Spinal Disorder 4: 383?89,
- The stabilising system of the spine. Part II.Neutral zone and instability Hypothesis. , Panjabi MM Journal of Spinal Disorder 4: 390?97
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