Spondylolysis is a condition that is characterized by a defect in a vertebra’s pars interarticularis. Most of the causes of Spondylolysis that exist occur in the lowest part of your lumbar vertebrae, the L5 vertebra. Spondylolysis is also capable of occurring in the rest of the lumbar vertebrae, and also in the thoracic vertebrae as well. Although relatively rare, it is being said that Spondylolysis occurs in between 3 and 6 percent of the world’s population.
The primary cause for Spondylolysis is by stress fracture in the bone. Spondylolysis occurs in people of all ages and both genders. Spondylolysis and constipation have actually been linked together, as the strain that is created as a result of constipation can cause stress on the bones in the spine, and this leads to the presence of a stress fracture. When vertebrae in the lumbar or thoracic regions of the spine are pressed together in an unnatural manner, the result can affect the pars interarticularis, acting as a nutcracker and causing a fracture in individuals that are particularly susceptible.
If you are dealing with Spondylolysis, and you believe that there is a link between the Spondylolysis and constipation, then there are a few things that you are going to want to consider. First and foremost, you are going to want to consider a change in your diet. If you do not eliminate the problem with constipation, then the problems relating to Spondylolysis are only going to worsen rather than being allowed to heal. You are going to want to work more fiber, fruits and vegetables into your diet in order to relieve the Spondylolysis and constipation discomfort.
While you are waiting for relief from your constipation, there are a few other ways that you can work on reducing the pain both from the Spondylolysis and constipation. The first thing that you can do is take ibuprofen or aspirin. Anti-inflammatory medications such as these can reduce muscle and nerve inflammation and alleviate irritation to the nerves in your back which will sooth the pain. You may also try alternating hot compresses and cold compresses to sooth away the irritation and pain.
If you are experiencing pain, and you believe that you may be dealing with Spondylolysis for any reason, do not ignore the pain. If the pain does not go away relatively quickly, you could be dealing with pain that is going to get worse sooner than better. If you are dealing with constipation, you could be making your Spondylolysis pain and discomfort even worse, preventing it from healing in any way. Talking to your doctor about Spondylolysis and constipation is going to help you determine what the best course of action is for treatment. There is no reason to live in pain when there are a number of different solutions available that are going to be able to help you deal with your discomfort.
