Will lumbar spondylolisthesis cause paralysis in old age?

Lumbar spondylolisthesis mainly refers to the phenomenon of slippage of the joints in the lumbar spine due to external pressure. Once this problem occurs, it is likely to cause difficulty in movement and be accompanied by severe pain. This problem is quite serious, so some people still worry about becoming paralyzed when they get older even after they have recovered. So is it true that we will become paralyzed when we get old?

Specific hazards of lumbar spondylolisthesis:

1. The hazards of lumbar spondylolisthesis---If lumbar spondylolisthesis is not treated in time, it will develop into scoliosis, the spinal cord tissue in the vertebral canal at the back of the spine will be compressed, and the spinal cord function will be damaged, leading to paraplegia symptoms such as weakness of both lower limbs, necrosis of the femoral head, and incontinence. Even patients with severe spinal deformity who do not suffer from spinal cord damage often suffer from lower limb pain due to L3-4 vertebral subluxation and nerve root traction, which seriously affects their mobility.

2. The harm of lumbar spondylolisthesis---low back and leg pain. Intervertebral disc herniation and degeneration can lead to lumbar instability and facet osteoarthritis, both of which are the main causes of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis and can cause various waist and leg symptoms. In adults, as the water content of the nucleus pulposus decreases, localized narrowing of the intervertebral disc height may occur, which may accelerate the progression of lumbar disc herniation. The narrowing of the intervertebral space can cause subluxation of the posterior joint, excessive displacement of the articular processes, causing stenosis of the lateral recess and intervertebral foramen, and thus leading to lumbar spondylolisthesis.

3. The hazards of lumbar spondylolisthesis---Lumbar spondylolisthesis may also be combined with lordosis or kyphosis, causing significant deformation of the chest, compression and displacement of lung tissue, distortion of small airways and capillary beds in the lungs, and decreased lung compliance and increased respiratory and circulatory resistance. As a result, further development leads to lung-blood gas exchange dysfunction, and even serious consequences such as pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale, which seriously affect cardiopulmonary function.

If lumbar spondylolisthesis is not treated promptly and effectively, the consequences can be very serious. It may even affect the patient’s life in the second half of his life. So everyone must pay attention to it.