How Serious is Retrolisthesis?Īs is also the case with many spinal conditions, early detection can’t guarantee treatment success but can increase its chances. So if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above and have received a retrolisthesis diagnosis, you might be wondering how serious it is.
This pain can be felt throughout the body along the paths of the spinal nerves too. Nerves are like branches on a tree, fanning off in multiple directions if retrolisthesis has caused the narrowing of the spinal canal, the discs and spinal nerves can become compressed and irritated, and this can cause varying levels of back pain. Retrolisthesis can cause the size of the spinal canal (hollow space within each vertebra), through which the nerves pass, to narrow.Īs a vertebra moves backward, it puts added stress on the disc and can cause spinal, and nerve compression, leading to a wide range of symptoms felt throughout the body. In more severe cases, symptoms can also be felt in areas other than the back, with some experiencing feelings of numbness and/or tingling in the following extremities: Sharp pinching pain related to nerve compression.While research has not come up with a clear definitive answer as to why the discs and space between the vertebrae decrease on their own, the following variables are thought to be contributing factors:Īs is the case with most spinal conditions, retrolisthesis symptoms will vary from one person to the next and can range from mild to severe, but common symptoms include: The spine of a person with retrolisthesis will have less space between the vertebrae, which can happen for different reasons. So now that we know how the condition affects the spine’s structure and alignment let’s talk about causation. The condition involves a spinal vertebra shifting backward, out of alignment with the rest of the spine, affecting the spine’s structural integrity, and sometimes, the shift in position can involve a vertebra sliding backward and underneath an intervertebral disc. These differences are subtle and can be hard to visualize. Staircase retrolisthesis occurs when a single vertebra moves backward, away from those above and ahead of those below. Partial retrolisthesis involves a single vertebra moving backward, towards the vertebrae above it, or below it.
There are three primary types of retrolisthesis: complete, partial, and staircase.Ĭomplete retrolisthesis involves a single vertebra moving backward in relation to adjacent vertebrae (above and below). Now, when it comes to spinal conditions, there are often different condition types, with different causation and treatment needs, and retrolisthesis is no exception. The movement of a vertebra doesn’t have to be significant to impact the spine negatively even vertebral movement as little as 2 millimeters can disrupt the spine’s alignment and biomechanics. The condition affects the cervical spine (neck and shoulder area) or the lumbar spine (lower back), and while it can occur in the thoracic spine, it’s uncommon. When a person develops retrolisthesis, this is an uncommon joint dysfunction involving a single vertebra shifting backward alongside or underneath a spinal disc. There are a number of spinal conditions a person can develop that affect the structure, function, and overall health of the spine. Now that we have a basic understanding of the spine’s structure, let’s look at how spinal conditions like retrolisthesis can affect the spine on a structural level. There are three main sections of the spine: cervical (neck), thoracic (middle/upper back), and lumbar (lower back). So you can see the placement of the spine’s vertebrae is important, as is the health of its intervertebral discs. The vertebrae are separated by the spine’s intervertebral discs that provide cushioning so they don’t rub up against each other and create friction, facilitate flexible movement, help absorb/distribute stress, and help hold the parts of the spine together. If the vertebrae remain in a healthy and neutral alignment, the spine can maintain its natural and healthy curvatures to function optimally however, if the spine becomes misaligned due to a vertebra shifting out of alignment with the rest of the spine, problems can occur. What are the Symptoms of Retrolisthesis?Īs mentioned, the spine is made up of individual bones called vertebrae that are rectangular in shape and stacked on top of one another.