Spondylolisthesis care in Meridian, Mississippi

Spondylolisthesis means one vertebra has slipped forward on the one below it. It happens most often in the low back. In adults, the most common cause is wear and arthritis in the joints and discs of the spine (degenerative spondylolisthesis). It can also come from a small stress fracture in the back of the vertebra, often from years earlier (isthmic spondylolisthesis).

The slip itself is not always painful. Symptoms usually come from strain on the back or from narrowing of the space around the nerves.

I am Edward Smith, M.D., a fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine surgeon at Meridian Orthopaedic Specialists. I evaluate and treat spondylolisthesis. I see patients in Meridian and serve patients from across east Mississippi and west Alabama.

Symptoms patients often notice

• Low back pain, often worse with standing, bending backward, or activity
• Pain, numbness, tingling, or heaviness in the buttocks or legs
• Leg symptoms with walking or standing that ease when you sit or lean forward
• Tight hamstrings or stiffness in the low back
• Less often, leg weakness

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away if you have new loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the groin or inner thighs, or sudden severe leg weakness.

Diagnosis

Evaluation starts with your history and a focused spine and nerve exam. X-rays are available in our office and show how far the vertebra has slipped. Standing and bending X-rays can show whether it moves. MRI shows whether the nerves are being pinched when that will guide treatment.

Treatment approach

Most people start with nonsurgical care:

• Physical therapy focused on core strength, flexibility, and posture
• Activity changes for a time, such as avoiding heavy lifting or repeated bending backward
• Medications for pain and inflammation when appropriate
• Epidural steroid injections through our pain management team when nerve pain is the main problem

Surgery may be considered when back or leg symptoms keep limiting your daily life despite conservative care, when weakness is getting worse, or when the slip is unstable. Surgery usually involves decompression to relieve pressure on the nerves, often with a fusion to stabilize the slipped level. Surgery can include minimally invasive options when they fit. They may not be right for every patient or every diagnosis. Many of these procedures, including fusion, can be done as outpatient surgery at our ambulatory surgery center.

We talk through risks, benefits, and recovery in plain terms before any procedure.

Care close to home

I see patients in Meridian and serve patients from across east Mississippi and west Alabama. Evaluation, X-rays, therapy, injections, and surgery when needed are available through Meridian Orthopaedic Specialists, 5002 Highway 39 N, Building C, Meridian, MS 39301. Call 601.385.9111.

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