Help with Spondylolisthesis - a slipped vertebra.?

Question

I had what the doctor called mild arthritis in my back, hips, knees, and hands.
A year ago, I hurt my back. I thought that it was a pulled muscule. It did not get better. I had bad sciatic pain down my left side. My knee will swell up, and I could not wiggle my toes, if I stood for more than 10 minutes. I had trouble walking. After nine months I was told that I had Spondylolisthesis, and "a bit more than mild arthritis". I was told to do what exercise that I could. Pain pills when I need them. Not to stand for very long or to walk far.
I am having to deal with a HMO. I am 46 yrs old.
I am not getting straight answers. I can not work. I can not stay in one position - sitting, laying, anything for very long without pain. It's hard to fix dinner, clean my home, get around even with a cane. I cannot drive and be on pain pills, I cannot be in a car long without them.
Does anyone else have this problem? What can I do? Will this get better, stay the same or worse with time?

Answer 1

See a chiropractor who uses an activator and a massage therapits


Much pain is from muscles below is an example of what may help (based on headaches).
Begin with a couple swigs of molasses or a couple of bananas daily - magnesium (which regulates many things in the body) and potassium (a needed building block for muscles).
Drink at least 1/2 gallons of water per day. Running a body low on water is like running a car low on oil is the analogy the head of neurology at UCDavis told my husband about 10 years ago.

Now to the cause - muscles - your back, neck shoulders and head have tender spots. They are knots in the fibers of the muscles called trigger points. It makes the muscles tight which makes them press on nerves and other things causing the pain.

The cure - start with a professional massage, you will also want to go back over any place you can get to 6-12 times per session up to 6 times per day rubbing (or lightly scratching on your head) every where that is tender until the knots go away. The place where the skull connects to the spine press up under the edge of the skull (to get to those muscles).

For more information read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies. It teaches what to do and where the pain comes from.

Answer 2

Spondylolysthesis can be a tough thing to deal with... it can also be totally without symptoms. In fact they usually occur between the ages of 8 and 18, so chances are yours only became symptomatic after your accident. Did you ever have any low back pain in the past? I am a chiropractor, and there are a few effective manipulations to deal with spondys. In my experience, if it is going to help them, they begin feeling better within 12 adjustments. This does not fix the thing however. There is a definite instability there and it will probably be an occasional lifelong thing. But it is manageable with some periodic chiro when you begin to feel it again. Try it out... It cannot hurt you, only help you.

Good luck

Answer 3

Have you been referred to a physical therapist. I have treated many patients w/ your condition w/ success.