I am a 25 year old female and I had the surgery for spondylothesis when I was 22 years old. I didn't even know there was anything wrong with my back, I was in pain but thought since I was so young it was just because I was too active and needed to rest. I went to the chiropractor and could barely walk out of her office, she hurt me so bad!! I went straight to the hospital from there where they did xrays and saw that I had a greater than 75% slippage. Two months after that I had my spinal fusion, it did hurt, bad! And recovery was hard, I was in a lot of pain, but eventually that pain went away and I felt so much better! I recently had my first baby though, pregnancy wasn't too hard on my back, some pain but it was manageable, but now carrying around a 6 month old baby all the time and we just moved so carrying around boxes and furniture, I've got a lot of pain in my lower back again. I am wondering if this is normal, am I going to need another back surgery? Also did anyone get arthritis in the are where they had the surgery?
I am an 18yr old male and I was diagnosed with grade one spondylolisthesis l5/s1 with bilateral pars defect and a dehydrated disc at l5/s1 showing signs of a degenerative feature at 16 with a slight bulge. I initially had pain at the age of 16, however, it slowly started to die out to a point where I almost felt asymptomatic at the age of my late 17. I continued to play sports as normal and my spondy did not limit my functioning. I was told to do the direct repair of pars when i was 17 so i could return to competitive sports. However, during my operation date just after turning 18, the surgeon told me that the disc had lost height, was more degenerated to a point where they couldnt inject gel into it, and the disc was bulging. the surgeon was scaring me that it could get trapped in my nerves and i could be worse off if i dont sort my back out and stabilise it now with a fusion. After the TLIF at l5/s1 i feel in a lot more constant pain, constant stiffness, and 6 months down the line i am not even functional enough to do my own things i.e. difficulty wearing my own socks. i cant bend a lot. its rubbish! if you were in my situation, would you have done the tlif fusion? pleaSE ANSWER someone as i feel i have made the wrong decision and be honest in ur answers
hi
i am 30 yrs old. .i am having spondylolisthesis grade1 at time of diagnosis while i was at age of 27.i have occasional pain in back.and tingling and paraesthesia in lower leg.i hav a family.
i am frustrated with my condition.can u tel me how u manage ur condition.how u see ur future wit it.i am afraid of getting investigated
:-(
i am 30 yrs old. .i am having spondylolisthesis grade1 at time of diagnosis while i was at age of 27.i have occasional pain in back.and tingling and paraesthesia in lower leg.i hav a family.
i am frustrated with my condition.can u tel me how u manage ur condition.how u see ur future wit it.i am afraid of getting investigated
:-(
I'm a 36 year old female and I've had 2 spinal fusions. The first one was for S1-L5. I had fallen on some icy stairs and a few weeks later started having lower back and leg pain. I saw my GP and he sent me for an MRI. The first surgeon consult I saw didn't spend 5 minutes with me and said I wasn't surgical. At this point I was almost immobilized by pain. During the process of waiting for an MRI my disk herniated and caught the siatic nerve. While waiting to get into my surgeon I had 3 lumbar cortisone injections and tried all kinds of pain management strategies. I used a pain specialist but none of the treatments lasted for more than a few weeks. In Feb 2008 I had my first fusion and when I woke up I was in the worst pain I'd ever experience (and I've had 3 kids!). I was in the hospital for 5 days and returned home to recover. I started feeling better very soon and within 4 weeks I was able to begin physio. I progressed and starting doing activities like biking and walking. 6 months post-surgery I started experiencing pain again. I returned to my surgeon and was diagnoised with facet joint arthritis. Back on painkillers and waiting for surgery again. My second surgery was 3 months ago, Feb. 2010. When the L5-L4 surgery was done my surgeon found severe arthritis. When the first fusion was done there was no sign of arthritis at that level. I did have a complication from surgery this time. For the first surgery my hip bone was used for the fusion. 2 years later I was still experiencing pain at the site. This time, synthetic bone material was used and I had a reaction to the chemical. This side effect caused severe nerve pain down my leg. I have been using nerve medicaiton as well as pain killers since my surgery. This complicaion has set me back 8-10 weeks as it immobilized me. I am just now starting physio at 13 weeks post-op. To note this second surgery was much easier as I asked for different pain medication as I thought the last time I reacted badly. I was very comfortable when I woke up and was able to go home in 2 days.
Would I do this again....well the first time I said I would NEVER do it again due to the suffering. Thankfully a good conversation with an anethetist made the second experience much better. I don't think I had a choice and living with chronic pain the last 3 years has been very difficult. Before my initial injury I had just ran 2 half-marathons. I could play with my kids, ski, go on roller coasters and I had so much energy I was on several community executives and had an enjoyable part time teaching career. Post-op I've been limited in activites and even household chores like laundry or changing sheets is challenging. I am hoping this time the result is the pain ends and I am able to restore my strength and lifestyle. I also forgot to mention that both of my surgeries were non-invasive so my surgical recovery has been quick.
Would I do this again....well the first time I said I would NEVER do it again due to the suffering. Thankfully a good conversation with an anethetist made the second experience much better. I don't think I had a choice and living with chronic pain the last 3 years has been very difficult. Before my initial injury I had just ran 2 half-marathons. I could play with my kids, ski, go on roller coasters and I had so much energy I was on several community executives and had an enjoyable part time teaching career. Post-op I've been limited in activites and even household chores like laundry or changing sheets is challenging. I am hoping this time the result is the pain ends and I am able to restore my strength and lifestyle. I also forgot to mention that both of my surgeries were non-invasive so my surgical recovery has been quick.
Hi,
I symathise with all the above posts as I've lived with spondy grade 5 for 4 years before I changed GP's and my new doctor referred me to a surgeon. I'm about to have surgery to fuse 5 vertebrae and am terrified as have been told there is 30% chance of paralysis. I'm taking oxy "like lollies" - as prescribed, so always feel drugged. I'm working full time to pay a mortgage and would like to know if anyone can recommend better pain relief for the next 6 weeks before the surgery, as I've reached the end of my tether here. Someone has suggested hash cookies as being good, as well as the oxy, but I've been too scared to try it. Any comments?
I symathise with all the above posts as I've lived with spondy grade 5 for 4 years before I changed GP's and my new doctor referred me to a surgeon. I'm about to have surgery to fuse 5 vertebrae and am terrified as have been told there is 30% chance of paralysis. I'm taking oxy "like lollies" - as prescribed, so always feel drugged. I'm working full time to pay a mortgage and would like to know if anyone can recommend better pain relief for the next 6 weeks before the surgery, as I've reached the end of my tether here. Someone has suggested hash cookies as being good, as well as the oxy, but I've been too scared to try it. Any comments?
Hi,
I don't really know what has set me off thinking about all this again as I actually had my surgery 6 years ago at the age of 14. Nonetheless, I am glad I have been thinking about it, because otherwise I would not have come across this website. I feel I can offer some kind of advice/reassurance. I am now 20 years old, I live in Dubai, in the UAE and I have/had grade 5 developmental spondylolisthesis so was born with the break that causes it. It went completely unnoticed for 13 years.
As many have you have also realised, some GPs aren't so great. I was always bullied for walking oddly, by family and friends alike, and a child complaining about back pain never really sounds too serious to a mother. Not a single doctor I ever went to mentioned any kind of back problem. Despite the fact that never once growing up had I been able to bend more than 90 degrees at the waist and, in fact, about a month before the problem could not be ignored anymore, I was told by my school nurse that I had "excellent posture". Anyway, I have also enjoyed horse riding for the best part of my life, of course, having had many falls during this time, but never resulting in anything too serious. Then at 13, not a fall, but just being jolted set off something terrible. I could no longer walk more than a couple of steps without being in tears. I couldn't sit down anymore because the pressure it put on my lower spine was too painful. And I most definitely could not horse ride. I tried to keep it a secret from my mum. Going up to the stables and just not getting on my horse. Hiding my tears etc. But when a teacher from school informed my mum that I had taken to kneeling at my desk to work rather than sitting on a chair the cat was out of the bad... Or at least mostly out of the bag.
We went to a physiotherapist who literally just touched my back for half a minute and sent us straight to another clinic to get an x-ray done. After getting the x-ray done my mother and I were called in by the doctor to be yelled at. He accused my mum of negligence for not noticing that her daughter was quite literally on the verge of paralysis (I know some of you know this feeling too well!). How was she to know? The slippage of my L5 vertebrae was so severe that my spinal cord was trapped between it and my tailbone and had started to break. What had been excused as clumsiness and a weak bladder my whole life up until this point was actually a symptom. The only reason I was not paralysed was because my body had developed a defense mechanism, common in severe spondylolisthesis, referred to as "Napoleon's Hat", a gap that naturally develops at the base of the spine allowing the pinched spinal cord to spread out again (I'm sure some of you may be aware of and, indeed, also have this). Dealing with this emotionally is not easy. I started to plan what I would do with my life if I did lose control of the lower half of my body. I completely resided myself to the fact that I would never be able to do the thing I had always loved to do ever again.
My negative attitude towards the subject was only made worse when we started to visit surgeons. It turns out not only GPs are c**p. I hate to say that for all of you looking for hope, but I'm not saying there are not good and, indeed, brilliant surgeons out there, but BE CAREFUL. Living in the UAE and none of the surgeons ever having seen more than a grade 1 case of spondylolisthesis I had to travel to the UK to meet surgeons. A terrifying task when you have just been told that if someone nudges you, your spinal cord will snap. After researching the credentials of surgeons who had been highly recommended and looking into their pasts with dealing with this specific condition, my mum, dad and I chose a top three who we were to meet for the second time, but this time actually discussing me specifically and how they would handle my case. The first one told me that the only safe option would be to go in and fuse my spine exactly where it was, which would have meant chronic back pain/loss of balance and coordination for the rest of my life, but simply removing the risk of paralysis. The second said the only way he handled these cases was to put pins through the skulls and knees of his patients and use traction over the course of three to six months to stretch the spine until it moved back into its normal position then perform surgery to fuse it. This would all need to be followed by six months in a virtually full body cast. Like, I said, it is not just GPs who can be c**p. Do you now wonder why meeting my surgeons put me off? Thye both sounded slightly insane, but having looked into things, they aren't. Many people tackle spondylolisthesis in these ways. I would strongly adivse against it and you will see why...
My hope was restored and my attitude completely changed when I met Mr. David Harrison, a surgeon at The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, near London. I would highly recommend even just contacting him to speak to him about any worries you have or as he is known internationally any contacts he may have or surgeons he may know on the same level as he is near you. He approached it all exactly how he should have. He knew about all the fears I would have. He reassured me like no one else had been able to. During tests he didn't push me to move in any ways that would make me feel uncomfortable, because he knows the condition well enough not to have to. His treatment option was to send me in for two surgeries. The first to completely remove my L5 vertebrae that had fallen so far forward you could push on my stomach and feel it which would relieve the pinching of my spinal chord. Obviously as two parts of my spine were not connected to each other at all after this surgery I had a week of absolute bed rest, in which I could not move at all. Then came the second surgery. During this Mr. Harrison attempted to straighten my spine as much as possible and then fuse five of my vertebrae together with titanium. He was not overzealous when describing the procedure to me beforehand. He said at most, the straightening of my spine would only be 50% and that my recovery afterwards would take three months in hospital and then a brace (that went around most of my torso but could be removed at night to sleep) for a year after that. However, while this doesn't sound fantastic, it would mean virtually no pain for the rest of my life, the ability to recover most of my balance/coordination and I would be able to return to horse riding once the brace came off. When it came to the actual surgery, he straightened my spine by 95%. Meaning I pretty much have a better and stronger lower back than a majority of the population. And, my recovery in hospital was 1 month and the brace came off after 6 months. Oh, and I do still horse ride. Dressage, show jumping, cross country, the lot. Surely its better to promise a little and achieve a lot than the other way around?
All in all, I have had an amazing experience. He showed me, even before the incredible success of my operation that coming out of this and returning to not just the life you had before, but a better life was possible. And if not, a definite if you find it within yourself to approach it positively and you find a good surgeon.
I never suffer from lower back pain anymore. I have better posture than most people I know, I'm not clumsy anymore, I don't need to fight my body in that mad dash to the toilet, I can walk around without crying, I can horse ride and I can touch my toes! There are only two long term effects that will remain with me. Natural childbirth, as has been mentioned, is not advised. And there is a tiny, tiny possibility that above the fusion my spine will start to weaken. The effects of this weakening, however, will not be life damaging and will happen much much later on in life. Slight pain every now and again when I'm an older woman maybe. I can definitely deal with that for a majority of my life to be pain free.
I know I have just written a ridiculously long post so I guess if I could summarise it all I would say: Staying strong and thinking positively is along with finding the right surgeon and method of fixing it for you, the most important thing. You will not succeed if you do not think you will. Mind over matter, like most things. And, on top of that, I hope I have shown you that success stories do happen. All the time, in fact. So as hard as it is to deal with the pain, both physical and emotional, you can get through this and improve your life ten fold.
I hope I've helped!
I don't really know what has set me off thinking about all this again as I actually had my surgery 6 years ago at the age of 14. Nonetheless, I am glad I have been thinking about it, because otherwise I would not have come across this website. I feel I can offer some kind of advice/reassurance. I am now 20 years old, I live in Dubai, in the UAE and I have/had grade 5 developmental spondylolisthesis so was born with the break that causes it. It went completely unnoticed for 13 years.
As many have you have also realised, some GPs aren't so great. I was always bullied for walking oddly, by family and friends alike, and a child complaining about back pain never really sounds too serious to a mother. Not a single doctor I ever went to mentioned any kind of back problem. Despite the fact that never once growing up had I been able to bend more than 90 degrees at the waist and, in fact, about a month before the problem could not be ignored anymore, I was told by my school nurse that I had "excellent posture". Anyway, I have also enjoyed horse riding for the best part of my life, of course, having had many falls during this time, but never resulting in anything too serious. Then at 13, not a fall, but just being jolted set off something terrible. I could no longer walk more than a couple of steps without being in tears. I couldn't sit down anymore because the pressure it put on my lower spine was too painful. And I most definitely could not horse ride. I tried to keep it a secret from my mum. Going up to the stables and just not getting on my horse. Hiding my tears etc. But when a teacher from school informed my mum that I had taken to kneeling at my desk to work rather than sitting on a chair the cat was out of the bad... Or at least mostly out of the bag.
We went to a physiotherapist who literally just touched my back for half a minute and sent us straight to another clinic to get an x-ray done. After getting the x-ray done my mother and I were called in by the doctor to be yelled at. He accused my mum of negligence for not noticing that her daughter was quite literally on the verge of paralysis (I know some of you know this feeling too well!). How was she to know? The slippage of my L5 vertebrae was so severe that my spinal cord was trapped between it and my tailbone and had started to break. What had been excused as clumsiness and a weak bladder my whole life up until this point was actually a symptom. The only reason I was not paralysed was because my body had developed a defense mechanism, common in severe spondylolisthesis, referred to as "Napoleon's Hat", a gap that naturally develops at the base of the spine allowing the pinched spinal cord to spread out again (I'm sure some of you may be aware of and, indeed, also have this). Dealing with this emotionally is not easy. I started to plan what I would do with my life if I did lose control of the lower half of my body. I completely resided myself to the fact that I would never be able to do the thing I had always loved to do ever again.
My negative attitude towards the subject was only made worse when we started to visit surgeons. It turns out not only GPs are c**p. I hate to say that for all of you looking for hope, but I'm not saying there are not good and, indeed, brilliant surgeons out there, but BE CAREFUL. Living in the UAE and none of the surgeons ever having seen more than a grade 1 case of spondylolisthesis I had to travel to the UK to meet surgeons. A terrifying task when you have just been told that if someone nudges you, your spinal cord will snap. After researching the credentials of surgeons who had been highly recommended and looking into their pasts with dealing with this specific condition, my mum, dad and I chose a top three who we were to meet for the second time, but this time actually discussing me specifically and how they would handle my case. The first one told me that the only safe option would be to go in and fuse my spine exactly where it was, which would have meant chronic back pain/loss of balance and coordination for the rest of my life, but simply removing the risk of paralysis. The second said the only way he handled these cases was to put pins through the skulls and knees of his patients and use traction over the course of three to six months to stretch the spine until it moved back into its normal position then perform surgery to fuse it. This would all need to be followed by six months in a virtually full body cast. Like, I said, it is not just GPs who can be c**p. Do you now wonder why meeting my surgeons put me off? Thye both sounded slightly insane, but having looked into things, they aren't. Many people tackle spondylolisthesis in these ways. I would strongly adivse against it and you will see why...
My hope was restored and my attitude completely changed when I met Mr. David Harrison, a surgeon at The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, near London. I would highly recommend even just contacting him to speak to him about any worries you have or as he is known internationally any contacts he may have or surgeons he may know on the same level as he is near you. He approached it all exactly how he should have. He knew about all the fears I would have. He reassured me like no one else had been able to. During tests he didn't push me to move in any ways that would make me feel uncomfortable, because he knows the condition well enough not to have to. His treatment option was to send me in for two surgeries. The first to completely remove my L5 vertebrae that had fallen so far forward you could push on my stomach and feel it which would relieve the pinching of my spinal chord. Obviously as two parts of my spine were not connected to each other at all after this surgery I had a week of absolute bed rest, in which I could not move at all. Then came the second surgery. During this Mr. Harrison attempted to straighten my spine as much as possible and then fuse five of my vertebrae together with titanium. He was not overzealous when describing the procedure to me beforehand. He said at most, the straightening of my spine would only be 50% and that my recovery afterwards would take three months in hospital and then a brace (that went around most of my torso but could be removed at night to sleep) for a year after that. However, while this doesn't sound fantastic, it would mean virtually no pain for the rest of my life, the ability to recover most of my balance/coordination and I would be able to return to horse riding once the brace came off. When it came to the actual surgery, he straightened my spine by 95%. Meaning I pretty much have a better and stronger lower back than a majority of the population. And, my recovery in hospital was 1 month and the brace came off after 6 months. Oh, and I do still horse ride. Dressage, show jumping, cross country, the lot. Surely its better to promise a little and achieve a lot than the other way around?
All in all, I have had an amazing experience. He showed me, even before the incredible success of my operation that coming out of this and returning to not just the life you had before, but a better life was possible. And if not, a definite if you find it within yourself to approach it positively and you find a good surgeon.
I never suffer from lower back pain anymore. I have better posture than most people I know, I'm not clumsy anymore, I don't need to fight my body in that mad dash to the toilet, I can walk around without crying, I can horse ride and I can touch my toes! There are only two long term effects that will remain with me. Natural childbirth, as has been mentioned, is not advised. And there is a tiny, tiny possibility that above the fusion my spine will start to weaken. The effects of this weakening, however, will not be life damaging and will happen much much later on in life. Slight pain every now and again when I'm an older woman maybe. I can definitely deal with that for a majority of my life to be pain free.
I know I have just written a ridiculously long post so I guess if I could summarise it all I would say: Staying strong and thinking positively is along with finding the right surgeon and method of fixing it for you, the most important thing. You will not succeed if you do not think you will. Mind over matter, like most things. And, on top of that, I hope I have shown you that success stories do happen. All the time, in fact. So as hard as it is to deal with the pain, both physical and emotional, you can get through this and improve your life ten fold.
I hope I've helped!
Hey, I am 21 yrs old, Just found out I had sponololesthesis and spina bifida occulta about 2 yrs ago. My whole life I have had extreme lower back pain, i mean if I am on my feet for literally five minutes I get pain! Also it seems to affect the nerves in my legs. There are times when it will feel if my hamstrings will go numb. A few yrs ago I convinced my parents to take me to get checked out. Doctors took x-rays and everything and told me that I had sponolo and stuff. I've have seen specialists and all they request is physical therapy. I've been to physical therapy for a few months but can't keep on paying the co-pay twice a week, that will break me. I can't continue to live with all the pain and limitations. I now have a child of my own and I don't wanna be the brittle old dad not able to go play ball or something with my kids and stuff. I need advice and this pain to stop!!!!! Please email me suggestions ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed **
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Hi, although I've been reading posts for some time now, I did want to add my experience to the back pain saga. I've had 3 lumbar surgeries in 3 years (2 of them were on an emergency basis). In 2003 i was diagnosed with a large central herniation at L5-S1. 1st ortho visit said only surgery would help. As everyone else states, I didn't want to do surgery b/c of all the negative things I had heard. I tried a series of 3 epidural injections. They helped w/ the pain, but not the numbness in my left leg. I eventually slipped on the stairs b/c i couldn't feel my foot. I arched my back and knew things were instantly worse. Another MRI revealed severe stenosis a bilateral compression of the S1 nerve roots on both sides. I finally decided to have surgery. 2 days prior to the scheduled date, I went to bed and woke up w/ numb legs. I could move them, I just couln't feel them. That progressed to numbness in the saddle area. Ended up w/ emrgency decompression for acute cauda equina syndrome on 3/04. I ended up w/ permanent S1 nerve damage and had to go thru 1 yr of bladder therapy. I wasn't able to empty my bladder from the nerve damage. Long story short, I'm sorry I didn't have the surgery sooner. I now have muscle atrophy in my left foot (it's mostly bones now) and my left calf. Nobody ever tells you that waiting could cause more damage that isn't reversible from surgery. My 2nd surgery was in 1/06. Went to bed and couldn't bear weight on my left leg, it just was giving out. Had emergency surgery for disc fragment at same level that was operated on. Pain from surgery was nothing compared to the pain prior to surgery. I crawled into the emergency room b/c it hurt so bad to stand or sit. My 3rd surgery was a result of DDD at the L5-S1 level which eventually caused L4-5 to fall apart and I had a 2 level 360 fusion in 2/07 w/ instrumentation. Recovery was long, but felt great after 6 months and returned to work full time and most activities. I didn't experience a lot of loss of motion. it was better than expected. Then in 10/08 i was t-boned by someone running a red light. L3-4 is now herniated and has caused facet arthritis that had been getting progressively worse. I had 5 ESI in 2009, the last one ending in a dural leak and I had to have a blood patch a week later to seal the leak. I'm scheduled for a decompression and extension of the fusion to L3-4 on 9/30/10. Even though I've been through so much, waiting isn't always the smart thing to do.. You could end up with more problems than you bargained for. Even though this is rare, it can happen. i can testify to that. My doctor calls me "the exception to every rule."
Hi Guest, I had this surgery around 15 years ago when I was 14 years old. For me, pregnancy was pretty rough but not impossible. I had back pain throughout my pregnancy, especially at night. Because of it, I was unable to get an epidural during delivery. The dr gave me some medicine thru an IV, and that helped. Immediately after the birth of my son, all back pain ceased. Needless should I say, it's been years since I've had my son, because it was not a good experience.
All has been good since then until recently. I have frequent back spasms/severe back pain whenever I bend over. The pain is so severe that I have to lie down for the rest of the day/night and need help to get around. I'm not sure what's going on now, but for the past 15 years, I have had a great recovery.
All has been good since then until recently. I have frequent back spasms/severe back pain whenever I bend over. The pain is so severe that I have to lie down for the rest of the day/night and need help to get around. I'm not sure what's going on now, but for the past 15 years, I have had a great recovery.
It has been helpful to read everyone's thoughts, experiences and opinions. My Spondy began about 15 years ago and was diagnosed last year after getting xrays at a chiro and an ortho surgeon. Another chiro said it could " go back into place". It's 1 cm off and I'm not sure what grade I'm in. What is grade 3 or 4? All I know is that from the moment I get up in the morning to the time I lay back down, pain shoots down my right leg, toes, etc, making it numb and hard to walk, stand, run, anything. Sitting on anything soft is brutal. The ortho and chiro said that anything I do (chiro care, therapy, exercises) will not make it better, it will only prevent it from getting worse and stabilize the vertebrae. Well, with a 5 and 2 year old, exercising at home is nearly impossible. I had leg pain thru out both pregnancies, thinking it was normal since that is what I had read about. Back pain and sciatic pain was crazy in the latter months. Now I know why.
Why wait 20 years and delay the inevitable? I want to take a long walk w/ my kids, go to the zoo, stand in my kitchen!, do anything. Sleeping thru the night would also be great.
Any advice, opinions out there based on what you've experienced? I'd love to know what the "grade" means for spondy.
Thanks everyone! God bless you!
Why wait 20 years and delay the inevitable? I want to take a long walk w/ my kids, go to the zoo, stand in my kitchen!, do anything. Sleeping thru the night would also be great.
Any advice, opinions out there based on what you've experienced? I'd love to know what the "grade" means for spondy.
Thanks everyone! God bless you!
I just wonder if you took any kind of supplements after the surgery?
It has been a while and by now I hope you are feeling much better :-)
It has been a while and by now I hope you are feeling much better :-)
My 14 year old son was diagnosed with spondylolisthesis and they recommend surgery. Can someone PLEASE help me understand why some back surgeons are orthopedic and others are neurosurgeons? I don't know which to go with and am so confused!!! Thanks!
I'm going to see two of each, 2 ortho's and 2 neuros...based on our friends recommendations at our church. Had the mri and ct scans done last week and will hear each opinions within the next two weeks. I'd go to both to get both sides of the issue since spondy deal with your vertebrae AND your nerves. Ortho deals w/ bones. Neuro - nerves.
:cry: i have gread 4 spondylolisthesis the dr. just found out last week i have been in so much pain i would come home from work crying shooting pains in my back hips knees feet my left leg goes numb sometimes i feels like someone stabing me last time he just said i was gread 2 we tryed pills shots i even went to a chiropractor and nothing now sence he knows its a gread 4 now he wants to do surgery im scared but im willing to do anything for this pain to go away i cant even clean my house right
i am 26 years old i had spondylolisthesis surgery on my l5 and p1 back in feb2008. the pain has not gone anywhere like the dr. well tell u it well. i see pain management but with time u we see that the longer u r on the meds the more they don't help they tried to tell me i was born with this but every thing i have looked up said that i was not can anyone tell me if and hoe they got the pain to go away