Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment in Northern Indiana
What is Degenerative Disc Disease?
When your spine discs wear down, you have degenerative disk disease. Spinal discs are soft, rubbery pads between your vertebrae, which are the bones in your spine. They work like shock cushions and make it easy to move, bend, and twist. Spinal discs wear out over time for everyone, it is a normal part of getting older.
When the pillows wear down, the bones can rub against each other. This touch can hurt and make other things go wrong.
This kind of wear and tear is a form of arthritis, which happens when the cartilage in the joints of the spine starts to break down. No matter what the reason is, it is well known that arthritis of the spine tends to get worse as people get older.
Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease
Most people with degenerative disk disease have pain in their neck or back. You might have pain that:
- Comes and goes, sometimes for weeks or months
- Makes your arms or legs feel numb or tingly
- Your bottom and lower back feel it
- It gets worse when you sit, bend, or lift
Who Does Degenerative Disc Disease Effect?
Most people over 50 have degenerative disc disease. Some things can make you more likely to get degenerative disk disease, such as:
- Acute injuries, like when you fall
- Obesity
- Women are more likely to feel the effects than men
- Smoking
- Working a job that is hard on the body
Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment
Most of the time, your doctor will first suggest treatments that don't involve surgery. Your care could include:
- In physical therapy, you do exercises to strengthen and stretch your muscles with the help of a trained medical professional
- Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, or steroids
- Steroid shots are when you get medicine injected near your spinal nerves, discs, or joints to help reduce pain and inflammation
A lot of people with degenerative disc disease do not need surgery. But if you have tried many nonsurgical methods and still have pain and weakness, spine surgery may be a good choice.
How to Prevent Degenerative Disc Disease
Spinal degeneration can be stopped or slowed down by making changes to your lifestyle. Here are some of them:
- Getting to and staying at a good weight
- Avoiding or quitting smoking
- Regularly working out to get stronger and more flexible
Degenerative Disc Disease Care in Michiana
Even people with long-term problems with their spinal discs are often able to return to normal work, play, and other daily activities with the help of these nonsurgical methods, such as pain management treatments, medication, exercise, and ergonomic training.
At OSMC, our team of doctors has the right education and experience to help you find the best way to get better. Get in touch with us right away to set up your appointment at one of our locations.
