Facet disease causes can be wide ranging. Gender, obesity, and genetics can all play roles in its development, as can diseases like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or gout. However, the most common cause of facet disease is degeneration that accompanies the aging process. Beginning in your 30s, the spine structures begin to weaken and break down, including the cartilage that surrounds your spine’s facet joints. While symptoms may not set in until your 40s, 50s, or 60s, it’s important to begin taking care of your spine as early as possible so that you can stave off facet disease for as long as possible and slow its progression.

Avoiding Certain Risk Factors

Degenerative conditions like facet disease can be frustrating because there is really no way to avoid age-related degeneration, but there are lifestyle modifications you can make that may help you avoid certain risk factors. Staying active, eating right, and maintaining a healthy body weight are extremely important. Obesity can put a huge amount of strain on the spinal joints, causing them to lose cartilage much sooner than they normally would. Also, try to avoid extremely high-impact sports and exercises that could lead to premature joint damage, such as football, rugby, hockey, wrestling, and weightlifting. Instead, opt for lower-impact activities like stationary cycling, swimming, hiking, Pilates, or tai chi.

The Detrimental Effects of Smoking

Of all the ways to avoid facet disease causes, quitting smoking is one of the most important lifestyle modifications you can make to preserve the health of your spine. Cigarette smoking causes all of the following problems that greatly increase your risk of developing facet disease:

– Reduced circulation – The components of the spine aren’t able to get sufficient nutrients if their blood supply is reduced, which makes them susceptible to premature degeneration.

– Reduced bone density – Reduced bone density weakens the joints and makes the vertebrae extremely susceptible to fractures.

– Reduced collagen – The cartilaginous intervertebral discs and the cartilage surrounding the facet joints can be damaged by the loss of collagen levels caused by smoking.

How Can I Quit Smoking?

Of all the facet disease causes, smoking is the one risk factor that is completely, 100 percent avoidable. While it’s impossible to escape the aging process or a genetic predisposition to facet disease, you can make a conscious decision not to subject your body to the ravages of tobacco use. If you would like to quit smoking, start by setting small goals for yourself. First, determine a date that you will quit smoking. Next, form a support system of family, friends, and coworkers who know you’re trying to quit and who can encourage you along the way. You may also want to find a fellow “quitter” who can give you tips about quitting techniques and aids, such as nicotine gum, nicotine patches, etc. Your doctor can also give you suggestions about a quitting program that would best suit your unique needs and current state of health. You should also be sure that any smoking aids you use, either prescription or over-the-counter, are approved by your doctor because you may be taking them in conjunction with pharmacological facet disease medications and it’s important to prevent dangerous drug interactions.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for the treatment of facet disease and several other spinal conditions.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for facet disease and other spinal conditions. http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/facet_disease/

Author Bio: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for the treatment of facet disease and several other spinal conditions.

Category: Advice
Keywords: Facet disease