Degenerative disc disease is a condition that occurs as a normal process of aging, in which the discs between the vertebrae in the spine begin to wear down, which results in the bones rubbing against one another, causing pain and stiffness.
Degenerative disc disease cannot be cured, but it should be treated to help slow degeneration.
If you don't treat degenerative disc disease complications can occur, such as:
- Back stiffness and loss of flexibility
- Bone spurs
- Spinal canal compression (myelopathy), which can compress the nerves
- Weakness
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Debilitating back pain
- Neck pain
- Herniated discs
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
The goals of treatment for degenerative disc disease are to strengthen the muscles that support the back and relieve symptoms, and may include:
- Home treatments
- Exercise
- Strength
- Stretching
- Low-impact aerobics
- Exercise
- Modify activities that irritate the back
- Maintain a healthy weight/lose weight if overweight
- Heat and cold therapy
- Don’t smoke
- Ergonomics
- Proper lifting techniques
- Ergonomic furniture
- Supportive footwear
- Avoid static posture for prolonged periods of time
- Medications
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) for inflammation and pain
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain
- Narcotic pain relievers for severe pain
- Corticosteroid injections into the disc space for inflammation
- Oral steroids for inflammation
- Muscle relaxants
- Physical therapy
- Massage therapy
- Chiropractic manipulation
- Epidural injections
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators (TENS)
- Ultrasound
- Acupuncture
- Behavioral therapy
- Surgery
- Artificial disc replacement
- Spinal fusion
What Are Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease?
Symptoms of degenerative disc disease include pain in the back:
- Ranges from mild to severe and disabling
- Comes and goes
- Worsens when sitting or after bending, lifting or twisting
- Mostly affects the lower back and neck
- Extends to the arms and hands
- Radiates to the buttocks and thighs
- Causes weakness in the leg muscles or “foot drop,” which may be a sign of damage to the nerve root
What Causes Degenerative Disc Disease?
The pain and stiffness of degenerative disc disease is caused by the wearing down of discs in the vertebrae. The discs in the spine are relatively avascular (very little blood supply), so when discs are injured, they cannot repair themselves and they begin to deteriorate.
Causes of disc degeneration include:
- Aging: discs dry out as people age
- Tears in the outer portion of the disc due to daily activities and sports
- Injury
- Repetitive heavy lifting that can cause small tears in the discs
Smoking is a risk factor for developing degenerative disc disease.
How Is Degenerative Disc Disease Diagnosed?
Degenerative disc disease is diagnosed with a physical examination and patient history, along with imaging tests such as:
- X-rays
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
- Computed tomography (CT) scan
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https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/degenerative-disc-disease
https://www.southeasttexasspine.com/blog/the-many-problems-that-can-develop-from-degenerative-disc-disease