Receiving a degenerative disc disease diagnosis can be scary. Like many other patients, you may be wondering: How did I get this? Will I always be in pain? Is surgery inevitable? For specific answers to these questions as they relate to you and your unique instance of degenerative disc disease, you’ll need to speak with your physician. However, this article will provide general answers to these questions.

What Causes Degenerative Disc Disease?

The natural aging process is the underlying cause of most cases of degenerative disc disease. This isn’t surprising if you consider how much wear and tear is placed on the neck and back. The spine is tasked with supporting the weight of the upper body and with facilitating a great deal of weight. Over time, these tasks can cause the intervertebral discs to harden, dehydrate, and become less elastic. These changes are collectively known as degenerative disc disease.

What Are the Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease & How Are They Relieved?

Some patients who are diagnosed with degenerative disc disease experience no symptoms at all. It is typically only when a weakened disc herniates or bulges that the condition becomes symptomatic. In these cases, symptoms develop when a spinal nerve root becomes compressed by a portion of the affected intervertebral disc. Pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness can travel along the length of the compressed nerve, causing symptoms to appear in seemingly unrelated areas of the body. Neural compression in the cervical spine can cause discomfort in the head, neck, upper back, shoulders, or arms, while compression in the lumbar spine can cause symptoms to appear in the lower back, hips, buttocks, or legs.

Most patients are able to relieve the symptoms of degenerative disc disease through the use of conservative, nonsurgical treatments, such as:

– Physical therapy

– Lifestyle modifications (i.e. losing weight, becoming more physically active, etc.)

– The application of heat and/or ice

– Over-the-counter medications including ibuprofen and acetaminophen

– Prescription medications including narcotic pain relievers and muscle relaxants

Does Degenerative Disc Disease Ever Require Surgery?

In rare cases, when a patient receives little to no relief from nonsurgical treatments, an operation may be warranted to decompress the affected spinal nerve root. Most physicians advise their patients to utilize nonsurgical treatments for several weeks or months before considering their surgical treatment options. Some of the patients who require surgical treatment are candidates for minimally invasive procedures as alternatives to open neck or back surgery. These procedures are performed through inch-long incisions using state-of-the-art technology. Most patients are able to return home the day of their procedures, and some even experience immediate relief.

If your physician recommends that you undergo an operation to treat degenerative disc disease, you may want to receive a second or third opinion before you consent to surgery. There are several risks associated with all operations, including infection and blood loss, and you should be comfortable subjecting yourself to these risks. It’s also important to confirm your physician’s degenerative disc disease diagnosis to ensure that surgery is even needed.

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 patients who have received a degenerative disc disease diagnosis.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute treats patients who have received a degenerative disc disease diagnosis. http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/degenerative_disc_disease/confirming/

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 patients who have received a degenerative disc disease diagnosis.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: Degenerative Disc Disease Diagnosis