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THE A3 SPONDYLO: SIS, LYSIS AND LISTHESIS
1) SPONDYLOSIS
This is a progressive degeneration condition/progressive degenerative disease of the spine. The two main features are: a) disc degeneration (See DISC DEGENERATION) up to bulging/herniation and b) extra bone in the spine being put down by the body where it should not be; such boney growths (osteophytes) are referred to as boney spurs and boney bars depending upon whether they resemble a spur (an upside down AV@) or a wall of bone (called boney bar).
2) SPONDYLOLYSIS
A condition of the spine where a part of the bone (vertebra) is discontinuous and the top part of the bottom bone moves with the top bone.
3) SPONDYLOLISTHESIS
If a person has spondylolysis (See SPONDYLOLYSIS, number 2 above), the top bone either settles forward on the bottom bone or slides back and forth on the bottom bone. Spine x-rays taken with the patient standing, bending forward and bending backward (See FLEXION/EXTENSION X-RAYS) would show if the bones were slipping on one another. If so the person would be considered for a fusion (See FUSION) of the bones to join them and make them act as one.
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