Spondylolisthesis

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The phrase “slipped disc” is often used to describe the condition known as spondylolisthesis. It occurs when a vertebra slips out of place onto the vertebra below it. If the phrase is common, there is a reason for that. A large study estimated that 11.5% of the adult population with back pain may suffer from a slipped or collapsed disc. Women are much more at risk of spondylolisthesis than men with a male-to-female ratio of 1:3. Degenerative disc disease which can lead to slipped discs have a prevalence of more than 90% in people older than 50 years.

What are the symptoms of Spondylolisthesis?

A slipped disc usually occurs in the lumbar or lower spine. Typical symptoms can be a tingling or pain in your buttocks, thighs, calves or feet. A slipped disc can cause localized pain in the lower back and abdomen.

A slipped disc injury can occur in young athletes such as wrestlers, gymnasts and weight lifters. According to a Framingham-based study, the most at-risk population is between the ages of 60-69. This group typically suffers from the degenerative version of spondylolisthesis. Women are three times more likely to develop spondylolisthesis than men.

How many types of spondylolisthesis are there?

Congenital: Caused by an abnormal bone formation present at birth.
Isthmic: Resulting from spondylolysis, a condition that causes bone fracturing that results in the vertebra slipping out of place, L5-S1 level. This is often seen in patients such as competitive gymnasts who exert significant forces in back bending.
Degenerative: Caused by aging and the drying of the intervertebral disc, L4-L5 level.
Traumatic: Resulting from a physical accident or injury that causes a slipped disc or a spinal fracture.
Pathologic: Due to weakness initiated by a disease such as osteoporosis, cancer or infection.
Post Surgery: Refers to disc slippage after spinal surgery.

How is spondylolisthesis diagnosed and treated using a regenerative approach?

If you suspect that you have a slipped disc, Dr. Greenberg’s team will perform a Comprehensive Kinetic Diagnosis, including a review of your most recent radiographs. They will carefully examine and palpate your neck, back and shoulders to gain a comprehensive understanding of the kinetic integrity of all the key systems involved along your spine, pelvis, knees and feet.

They may find that the weakness and instability in the joints of your spine are caused by a problem with your sacrum or with your sacroiliac joint that will need to be brought into balance and treated. Perhaps your pelvis is tilted, stressing your spinal column. Or a weak ankle is causing your lower back to rotate just enough to cause a spinal imbalance which adds to your pain.

Based on the evaluation, Dr. Greenberg will determine if you are a candidate for Kinetic Regeneration Therapy. If so, he will relieve your Spondylolisthesis by recommending the healing and synergistic cascade of Prolotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Stem Cell Treatments.

A typical treatment course may call for several injections typically performed every 3 weeks, depending on the patient. Dr. Greenberg has had success using Prolotherapy and PRP injections to treat a slipped disc. He will palpate your back during the session, looking for injured ligaments, muscles and discs that are out of balance and may be causing pain. We treat all the kinetic systems that are unstable and bring them into equilibrium. The treatments initiate your body’s healing processes to rebuild sinews, tendons, cartilage, and even bone using the body’s own healing components and cells to strengthen and stabilize the spine and reduce pain.

Our team treats you holistically, renews you physically and seeks to rekindle a feeling of wellness, so you become a healthier YOU with a back that feels great.

If you or a loved one is looking for a new strategy to treat chronic aches and pains, fill out the form on this page to schedule an appointment or call Dr. Greenberg’s office today at (833) 440-4325.

Reference:

Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis: prevalence and association with low back pain in the adult community-based population; Kalichman, Kim, MD, Li, Guermazi, Berkin, Hunter; Spine, 2009 Jan 15

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Patient Testimonials

Greenberg Regenerative Medicine encourages you to read about the countless success stories our patient’s have reported over the years.

The first time I saw Dr. Greenberg I wasn’t sure he was going to be able to help me. I was told I needed a double knee replacement and there was nothing else they could do. I was talking to my chiropractor and asked him if he could possibly buy me some time and he shook his head no. However he told me Dr. Greenberg had helped him, but he wasn’t sure if he could help me because my knees were bone on bone and my right knee flopped around like a rag doll.

I was desperate so I scheduled an appointment and was evaluated by Dr. Greenberg who told me he could definitely treat the left knee, but the right knee was badly deteriorated. I decided to move forward with treatment hoping he could treat both knees successfully. I am happy to say I can now walk and go up and down stairs pain-free. I will never be able to run a marathon, but I had no intention of running one before I had knee problems. I am so grateful to Dr. Greenberg and his team for giving me my mobility back.

PRP from Dr. Greenberg provided healing. I was pain-free and back to full health after 6 weeks. Dr. Greenberg was responsive to all of my concerns and questions and was fully available on text and/or phone when I had urgent concerns, particularly during the first couple of weeks, which were extremely painful (my head pain, not the treatment).

Dr. Greenberg is one of the rare doctors interested in healing you with the best regimen possible. He equipped me to be a better manager of my health.

If not for Dr. Greenberg’s treatment, I would not be walking today. I’d seen numerous doctors over a span of 5 years who either told me there was nothing wrong with me or just prescribed a lot of drugs that made things much worse in the long run and in one case, a surgery left me in more pain than I was before.

Dr. Greenberg actually HEALED my injuries using cutting edge techniques such as PRP and Stem Cell injections. I do not understand how most doctors do not offer these same treatments, treatments that actually heal injury, rather than cover up the pain of injury with drugs. The only other time I have seen these offered are when they are being performed on Professional Athletes to get them back on the playing field. I feel that “regular” people should also have access to these treatments, not just sports stars worth millions, everybody deserves good health.

After a 2 year struggle with disabling low back pain caused by SI joint dysfunction, I have finally found relief! I ran the gauntlet of all the conventional medical tests therapies and injections to treat chronic low back pain which ultimately ended in a bilateral SI joint fusion. Still, I was dealing with disabling pain, so I continued to search for relief and finally found Dr. Greenberg and his regenerative medicine practice. Over the last few months of working with Doctor Greenberg, I have regained my physical life and am no longer a slave to pain! My quality of life has greatly improved and things that I thought I would never do again such as hiking, cycling, swimming, yoga, and surfing, are now a regular part of my life again.

If you’re living in chronic pain, do yourself a favor and don’t waste time with all the conventional therapies that only treat the symptom rather than resolve the structural issues. Doctor Greenberg’s regenerative injections have been miraculous for me and I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time and money pursuing dead-end solutions. Thank you, Dr. Greenberg, for keeping my hope alive and helping me resume a joyful life!

Dr. Greenberg gave me my life back. After being in a bad rear-end collision, I was no longer able to function in my everyday life. Before it happened I was a high-level athlete (boxing, weightlifting, swimming, etc.) and after I could barely brush my hair. I went to over 10 different doctors to try to heal myself with no improvement at all. My mental state was completely compromised because of my inability to hold down a job or do my school work because of my physical limitations. I spent over a year agonizing over the plethora of symptoms the accident had left me with until I finally found Dr. Greenberg.

He has expert knowledge of human anatomy and is able to tell exactly where an area is damaged based on touch (something most doctors are totally clueless about) and other factors. I never thought I would see the day where I would get back to the gym but because of his expertise, I’m finally getting back to my life and my sport. He is extremely compassionate, confident, and he truly cares about his patients. I can’t imagine what my life would be like today if not for him. When you feel like you’ve tried everything with no success this will absolutely get you back.

I went to see Dr Greenberg after conventional sports medicine said my shoulder injury was not going to improve without surgery, and there were no guarantees. I did NOT want surgery, especially without a guarantee. Let it be known that I am a very active athlete who competes in obstacle races and Ninja warrior competitions. Dr. Greenberg diagnosed my problem and recommended PRP to help heal my injury. At the time of my injury, it was painful to lift my arm and I couldn’t even wash my hair with my right arm, just putting on a shirt was excruciating!

After being treated with PRP every three weeks, my shoulder began to improve, within 4 months the pain was gone and the mobility was back! After 6 months I was back working out! Now one year later I am better than 100% and competing at a higher level than ever! By the way, I am 53 years old! Dr. G gets an A++ from me, I highly recommend him and his approach to medicine!

LOCATION

101 S Bryn Mawr Avenue
Suite 300a
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

CONTACT

(833) 440-4325
info@greenbergregen.com

COVID-19 Update: Our office is OPEN and scheduling patients. We are dedicated to keeping our patients safe & healthy.