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What Are the Best Treatments for a Misaligned Spine?

What Are the Best Treatments for a Misaligned Spine?

What Are the Best Treatments for a Misaligned Spine?

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 Metropolitan Pain & Spine Institute. 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.

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