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Suggest Treatment For Grade 1 L3-4 And L4-5 Anterior Listhesis

Posted on Mon, 29 Sep 2014

Question: i am diagnosed with grade 1 L3-4 and L4-5 anterior listhesis, DDD. I am not over weight, but sit a lot for my work, and I am relatively active. Lately stopped exercises because of numbness of the front of my feet and leg, and lower back pain (not severe unless I stand or sit for a long time)

Questions:
1. Can this condition be reversed through physical therapy?
2. Is this a progressive condition?
3. How fast will this naturally deteriorate?
4. What can I do to prevent further deterioration?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Details below.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
1. You can get symptomatic relief with physical therapy. The changes can be reversed to some extent and further progression of the degenerative changes can be stopped.
2. Yes. It is an age related degenerative change of the spine which gradually progresses with increasing age.
3. It takes years to deteriorate. Changes in the lifestyle and rest with regular physical therapy help in decreasing the rate of deterioration.
4. Get muscle relaxants and methylcobalamin supplements prescribed from your orthopedician.
- Avoid lifting heavy weights as it imparts more strain on your back
- Change your daily activities so that you avoid movements that can cause further pain, especially bending forward and lifting as it will worsen the disc protrusion. if you want to bend forwards, do it with your hips and knees flexed.
- Use a lumbosacral back support to stabilize your spinal muscles
- Intermittent pelvic traction might be helpful to cause a regression of the protruded disc
- After the initial pain has subsided, remedial exercises to strengthen the spine are very important to restore normal spinal movements and muscle strength. The main aim of exercise is to encourage mobility, reduce muscle spasm, prevent further deterioration in the muscles and speed recovery.

I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (2 hours later)

Thank you for your reply, which is very helpful.

I have an addition question. When I move, I hear the cracking noise from my spine, though there is no pain. Is it related to the anterior listhesis? Should I be concerned about the cracking noise? Why the noise?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Arthritic changes in the joints.

Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thanks for writing again.
The crackling noise of the spine is due to a decrease in the joint lubricants. This is not due to anterior listhesis. Taking joint lubricant supplements and calcium supplements will help.
Hope my answer is helpful.
Do accept my answer in case there are no further queries.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (7 hours later)

In addition to the pain of my lower back and numbness of the front of my both feet and legs, I also have pain in the butts and mostly on the left. Is this also caused by the anterior listhesis? Why is pain mostly on the left butt? Is it because the slip of the disc was uneven?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Can be a muscular pain also.

Detailed Answer:
The pain on the left is more likely to be due to a muscle spasm or stiffness and due to more bulge of the disc on the left side. Uneven slipping of the disc can cause this. Taking rest and application of the heating pads will help in decreasing the pain.
Take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar