Spine misalignment — or spondylolisthesis — can occur for several reasons, including:
- Age-related degeneration
- Arthritis
- A sports-related or traumatic injury
- Congenital defects in the spine’s facet joints
Spine specialists evaluate how far the vertebra or vertebrae have slipped out of place to create a personalized and effective treatment plan.
What Are the Symptoms of a Misaligned Spine?
You may experience spine misalignment and have no symptoms at all. If a vertebra has moved significantly, however, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Tingling down your lower back and into your leg
- Unusual pain in your back, joints, neck or hips
- Weakness or numbness in one or both legs
- Difficulty walking or reduced range of motion
- Fatigue or frequently feeling under the weather
- Regularly wearing one shoe out before the other
When to See a Doctor About Your Spine
If you experience ongoing pain affecting your quality of life, reach out to your doctor. It’s best to check in with a specialist about your spine’s health — even if you aren’t sure what the problem is.
See a doctor about your spine if you experience any of the following:
- Discomfort with day-to-day activities
- Difficulty breathing
- Chronic pain in your back, legs or lower joints
- Sciatica
- Stiffness or reduced range of motion and mobility
- Bone or joint deformities
- Slouched or abnormal posture
How Is a Misaligned Spine Treated?
Many misaligned spine treatments exist, though their effectiveness will depend on your unique circumstances. Knowing your spine misalignment’s cause can guide you toward the right treatment plan:
- Light exercise: Exercise may seem counterintuitive, but strengthening your core and back muscles through stretching, yoga, swimming, cycling or walking can relieve pain and pressure on your spine.
- Physical therapy: A physical therapist can design a custom light to moderate exercise plan to support muscle strengthening and conditioning to target your needs.
- Massage therapy: Massage therapy can relieve stress on spine-supporting back muscles and provide pain relief, but it will not realign a misaligned spine.
- Spine specialists: Spine specialists or chiropractors can manually manipulate spine misalignments to relieve pressure, free compressed nerves and realign your spine.
- Minimally invasive procedures: Minimally invasive procedures for spine misalignment include endoscopic foraminalplasty, endoscopic rhizotomy or endoscopic laminotomy.
- Surgery: If a specialist has exhausted all possible non-surgical options, surgery may be an option for cases where neurological issues are present and your quality of life is significantly impacted.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
Before committing to a treatment plan, we recommend speaking with one of our spine specialists at the Spine Institute of North America. Our board-certified physicians will recommend a misaligned back treatment based on your unique circumstances.
Contact us online to schedule your consultation with MPSI today.