A Primer On Degenerative Spondylolisthesis With Spinal Stenosis
What Is Degenerative Spondylolisthesis?
There are 33 vertebrae in the human spine. Five of these vertebrae are naturally fused together and, in healthy people, the remaining 28 are separated from each other by discs that are soft and cartilaganeous and serve as cushions to the vertebrae such that adjacent vertebrae do not touch.
Degenerative spondylolisthesis is a condition in which progressive wasting of a particular disc occurs for a long enough period of time that the disc can no longer cushion its two adjacent vertebrae. As a result of the wasting of the disc, the two adjacent vertebrae are made to come into continuous contact with each other. In most instances, this touching occurs between two vertebrae of the lower back, as the lower portion of the spine is more stressed than is other any other portion, and therefore the lower spine is more susceptible to progressive wasting. Unfortunately, this aberrant vertebrae condition often causes the inflicted person to suffer one or more symptoms, such as:
- Extreme lower back pain
- Hamstring muscle tightness
- Pain in the upper thighs and buttocks
- Lordosis (increased curving of the spine)
- Kyphosis (a rounding of the spine that leads to hunchback or slouching)
In some cases the affected person has no symptoms or has very mild symptoms that are hardly bothersome. It is further known that degenerative spondylolisthesis: is most likely to become a problem after age 50, affects six times as many women as men, and is more prevalent among African-Americans than Caucasians or any other racial group.
What Is What Is Degenerative Spondylolisthesis With Spinal Stenosis?
In addition to causing the symptoms listed above, one of the characteristics of degenerative spondylolisthesis is that it can lead to spinal stenosis. When it does, these two conditions are collectively referred to as degenerative spondylolisthesis with spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal column narrows. This narrowing typically puts undue and unnatural pressure on nearby nerves. The effect of this pressure is that it usually causes shooting pain to run the entire length of the legs. If left untreated, this nerve pressure can lead to paralysis, although this is very rare.
Other possible symptoms of spinal stenosis include:
- Numbness or cramping in the back and/or legs
- Weakness in the arms and/or legs
- Difficulty walking
- Inability to control bowel movements
- Inability to urinate
- Constipation
While spinal stenosis can cause a person to experience severely debilitating symptoms, many people with this condition are able to lead normal and active lives for many years after it first strikes. When spinal stenosis does pose a problem, however, one option for treating symptoms is to undergo spine surgery, which often is successful in fully or partially alleviating symptoms. However, it should be noted that many people who elect to have spine surgery see no improvement, or see only temporary improvement, to their condition.
This article is only meant to provide some basic information regarding degenerative spondylolisthesis with spinal stenosis. It is not meant to replace the good advice of your family doctor.
References
H.N. Herkowitz, Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis, Spine 20:1084-1090 (1995).
Mayo Clinic, Spinal Stenosis: https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/spinal-stenosis/DS00515
M.B. Kornblum et al., Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis With Spinal Stenosis: A Prospective Long-Term Study Comparing Fusion With Pseudoarthrosis, Spine 29:726-734 (2004).
Medline Plus, National Institutes of Health, Spinal Stenosis: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000441.htm
Medline Plus, National Institutes of Health, Spondylolisthesis: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001260.htm