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12 months on...

Posted , 3 users are following.

david11111
david11111

after all the tests, x ray,ultra sound,MRI and now a pending standing x ray I'm no further forward. Spondylolisthesis grade 1 diagnosed and Physio recommended. Numbness and pins and needles have increased and pain is off the scale.... averaging 2 to 3 hours sleep feeling pretty low. Supposed to be back to work imminently but I just can't function with this pain.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • maggie301017
    maggie301017 david11111

    Posted

    Spondylolisthesis grade 1 is slippage of one disc forward over another to compress the spinal canal or a root nerve Do you know what level this is at? Most commonly it's in the lumbar spine, L3-S1 area. The alternative to physio, chiropractor etc are surgery , which of course is to be avoided unless the absolute last resort as only about 50% are truly successful i.e. improve your symptoms, fix the problem without creating new ones. Sometimes the spine can and does fix itself. Avoid any activities that involve impact eg running

  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX david11111

    Posted

    Maggie is correct about nerve root involvement.  Had a severe case of sciatica a few years back and absolutely nothing helped.  Turned out to be a bone spur literally crushing the sciatic nerve root at L4.  Neurosurgeon fixed me up; same day surgery...walked out after the op.  Pain gone immediately; remaining inflammatory pain gone in less than a week. 
  • david11111
    david11111

    Posted

    Its L5/S1 which doesnt mean anything to me.... i need to pursue physio then ? I dont know i can work at the moment as i do a manual job involving heavy lifting
    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX david11111

      Posted

      This is lower back...the disc connecting the fifth (lowest) lumbar vertebrae with the first sacroiliac (L5-S1).  I've had 4 spine surgeries and a brace really helps.  The best ones are from Aspen and one my be very beneficial for you in the short (or even long) term.  I still use mine to do outside work.

      The question is whether chiropractic or PT can help realign the vertebrae and stop whatever is causing your pain.  Pain injections also help some people (just not me).  In one of my cases, the pain was caused by that bone spur that needed a surgical fix.  You need to find the root cause of the pain and get it taken care of.  An MRI of your lumbar spine may or may not reveal the problem.  A CT/Myelogram with contrast is the "gold standard" test for spine problems.  Maybe you need one of those.  In the end, maybe a simple decompressive laminectomy of L5-S1 is the answer.  Your neurosurgeon is the best judge of how you can fix this.

  • maggie301017
    maggie301017 david11111

    Posted

    Heavy lifting is the absolute worse thing you can do if u have spondylesthesis because the weight applies a downward force on your L5-S1 disc, literally pushing it sideways because it's got nowhere else to go and restrictions g your spine. The surgical fix is lumbar spinal fusion. Believe me, you don't want to go there is you can possibly avoid it. Change your job or you will end up having spinal surgery

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX maggie301017

      Posted

      Correct on the lifting.  I'm fused L3-S1 plus L2/L3.  I put on my brace, squat down as low as I can and lift an object with a straight back...all the lifting power has to come from your legs.  Putting that pressure on your spine is not a good thing.

  • david11111
    david11111

    Posted

    I was due to return to work on light duties but I don't see that happening.... I will impress upon management that heavy lifting isn't an option. I'm equally concerned about the numbness 

    • maggie301017
      maggie301017 david11111

      Posted

      Numbness is definitely a symptom you need to report to your doctor. Is it stable or spreading and where do you feel it?
  • david11111
    david11111

    Posted

    I'd say it's spreading, mainly in my foot and lower leg though. Enough to lose balance if I'm not careful.

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