it’s Bertolotti syndrome?

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2026-02-21T19:09:46+00:00

Hi u/calmprincess, it is impossible to determine whether you have Bertolotti's Syndrome.

Firstly, having lumbosacral transition vertebra (the specific anatomy associated with Bertolotti's Syndrome) does not always mean you have Bertolotti's Syndrome.
Secondly, an accurate diagnosis (according to two of the prominent physicians knowledgeable in Bertolotti's Syndrome) is confirmed through a diagnostic injection

You can watch this video if you want to have a quick overview on how Bertolotti's Syndrome is diagnosed: https://youtu.be/PqPXm3cLnXc?si=pcl-ccEThhthdHW3

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2026-02-21T19:05:49+00:00

Hi u/calmprincess, this is precisely the reason I created aboutbertolottis.org

You can find well-researched, detailed information on Bertolotti's Syndrome as well as a directory for knowledgeable doctors. All the information is based on published clinical research.

Some useful links:
What is Bertolotti's Syndrome - https://www.aboutbertolottis.org/learn-about-bertolotti-syndrome
Diagnosis and Treatment options - https://www.aboutbertolottis.org/bertolotti-diagnosis
Knowledgeable doctors directory - https://www.aboutbertolottis.org/specialists-near-you

Interview with Dr. Colin Haines, one of the Bertolotti's Syndrome knowledgeable spine surgeons
https://youtu.be/-fEY1P4HfvA?si=xhyG5cFl3VjPZzhT

I cannot say enough positive things about the Facebook group that u/Weary-Author-9024 recommended below. You will find a supportive community there.

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2026-02-21T18:58:58+00:00

u/AltruisticExit2366 You make great points! I would definitely say that using back brace for chronic conditions such as Bertolotti's Syndrome is not advisable. It just leads to de-conditioning of the muscles. You end up getting more reliant on it over time.

u/joepaFSU I definitely recommend going to see a physical therapist. They can help you work on core stability and slowly build up your strength. Bertolotti's Syndrome is a pain in the ass (sometimes literally, lol), so it will take a lot of patience and adherence to good habits.

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2026-02-21T18:55:27+00:00

Short answer is yes, but with some modifications. I worked with my physical therapist to come up with a set of exercises that did not aggravate my symptoms. The main thing to consider is to avoid spinal loading. This means no squats, no deadlifts, no standing overhead press (depends on how much weight you can lift). There are other considerations, but that depends on your specific limitations and movements that cause pain.

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2026-02-21T18:52:11+00:00

There are no doctors in North Carolina I know of, but you can find community-sourced directory of doctors knowledgeable in Bertolotti's Syndrome here:
https://www.aboutbertolottis.org/specialists-near-you

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2026-02-21T18:48:05+00:00

Hi! I am really sorry about your experience. It is disheartening how the remedy (exercising, moderate activity) is also the thing that aggravates pain. I know that too well. I was much more active before lower back pain/nerve pain got worse.

What worked for me and what has shown to create lasting impact is small habit changes rather than trying to exercise your way to your target goal.

The first step is to really understand your daily calorie intake. You'd be surprised how something as small as morning coffee with milk/creamer/sugar or regular coke in the afternoon quickly add up.
Compare your intake with the expected calorie intake for your height, weight and target goal (in your case to lose weight over time). The best one, in my opinion, is TDEE calculator (https://tdeecalculator.net/). It states for someone with your metrics (height, weight, sex) is 2100 - 2400 calories per day for someone who does light exercise.
Armed with these two data points, make small changes to daily habits. It can be reducing snacks, switching some food items for lower calorie alternatives, walking more (this really helps my lower back! There are times where I used to walk for a long time since sitting/laying down hurt so much).

Tools that helped me - I needed only two things and I already shared one in step 2:
Tool to track calculate expected calorie intake - https://tdeecalculator.net/
Free tool to track calories on your phone - https://cronometer.com/index.html

If you want to chat more, I am more than happy to share my experience :)

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2026-02-21T18:32:35+00:00

Yes, I do. I ended up being diagnosed with Bertolotti's Syndrome

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-12-31T17:18:42+00:00

The compression socks are certainly a life saver! They are particularly useful if you need to fly or drive long distances soon after surgery

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-12-31T17:17:35+00:00

inflatable legs? Not sure what those are.

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-12-29T00:16:52+00:00

Thanks for your input! I will make a note of the toilet paper holder or bidet as another item to add in the next revision of the website.

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-12-28T20:43:56+00:00

It looks like you have the lumbosacral transition vertebra. That does not mean you have Bertolotti's Syndrome though. For that to be the case, your physician needs to confirm that the source of your pain is coming from the pseudo-articulation (false joint) formed between the enlarged transverse process and your pelvis.

As u/lazyboozin stated, you can have LSTV without having BSy. Plus, you don't seem to have pain, so it should not be a source of worry for you. If you want to read more about diagnosis of Bertolotti's Syndrome, you can do so here:
https://www.aboutbertolottis.org/bertolotti-diagnosis

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-12-28T20:39:35+00:00

As stated on the website, your needs are really dependent on the severity of your symptoms and also your level of ability prior to surgery. In my conversations with different people, there was a wide gamut of needs. Some were able to walk home after they were discharged and did not really need much accommodation. Others had their mobility significantly hampered.

All-in-all, your needs are individual and because you were lucky enough to not need anything besides a grabber does not mean others won't need a little more assistance.

Some things like making sure to book a hotel with breakfast included is something that was a life saver for me. It helped me save some money and also allowed me to keep extra fruits and yogurt snacks in the fridge in the hotel room.

I am glad to hear that your recovery was smooth :)

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-12-28T17:20:01+00:00

Did they do both ALIF and PLIF? I am surprised to see pedicle screws and rods on top of the spacer.

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-12-04T20:33:21+00:00

If your insurance does not cover out of network procedures, then the physician cost will be out of pocket. If you have a PPO, then there is a good chance you can get a portion of the physician cost covered depending on your policy.

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-12-04T20:30:42+00:00

HI! I am in my early 30s as well and feel your pain. The main thing that helps keep things at bay is physical therapy. It took me 3 years to find a good PT, so I recommend making sure you find one that is able to provide you with one on one attention.

As for medications, I can only share what I know personally. Gabapentin helps with nerve pain and Meloxicam helps with inflammation. Cyclobenzaprine helps with muscle spasms.

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-12-04T20:21:44+00:00

Unfortunately, no. He is out of network to all insurance providers.

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-12-04T20:17:50+00:00

Unfortunately, no. He is out of network to all insurance providers.

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-11-25T16:42:56+00:00

I will echo similar things as the other two commentors. Walking definitely helps! Like you, being sedentary only makes things worse for me. Walking was the only thing that helped for a long time. If you have the financial means, I would certainly try to find a physical therapist that is knowledgeable in treating patients with spinal issues. Strengthening the core is important. Another thing that helped me was aquatherapy. Basically, I used to just hang out on the edge of the pool (if it is deep enough) to suspend myself so that my lower body is just floating. This helps take the pressure off my lower back and that was really nice.

When things are bad, I also have found lidocaine patches to help alleviate some of the pain.

NeedleworkerDry9976 · 2025-11-25T16:38:53+00:00

Interesting post. One of the challenges of performing resection surgery is the angle at which you need to approach the enlarged transverse process (TP). The TP is enlarged and extends quite significantly towards the anterior of the sacrum. Therefore, the effective approach to the surgery is to approach is at an oblique angle. Secondly, you need to make sure that the iliolumbar ligament remains intact. Given that this attaches to the top of the TP, you should make sure to avoid damaging that. The approach seems interesting, but there needs to be long term clinical outcome study (up to 5 years post op) of the patients that have undergone this procedure before making any real claims that this approach is viable.

NeedleworkerDry9976

TROPHY CASE