Is there any nonsurgical treatment for spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis?
The treatment would depend on the duration of your problem, whether your pain is purely localized to the lower back or whether it radiates down to the lower limbs, neurological function, response to previous nonoperative treatment and lastly, the subjective severity of your pain. Various nonoperative means of treatment include bed rest, painkillers, muscle relaxants, various modalities such as heat and electrical stimulation, activity restrictions, etc. For cases of spondylolysis, complete bed rest is helpful. For spondylolisthesis however, complete bed rest may not really be effective. How should you sleep? You should sleep on your side, either right or left, whichever is comfortable, with a pillow in between your legs. What kind of bed should you sleep on? A cotton mattress is ideal! No need to sleep on hard beds, nor do you need to fall for any kind of so-called “spine-friendly” expensive mattresses sold out in the market! This bed rest should be for a period of 2-3 days. During thi
