Selecting the right TENS unit is crucial for effective pain management. Important factors to consider include the number of stimulation modes, intensity levels, ease of use, portability, and battery life. Some devices come with features like preset programs for specific types of pain, while others allow for customizable settings that can cater to individual needs. Understanding these aspects helps ensure you choose a unit that fits your lifestyle and pain management requirements.

We spent considerable time researching and testing various TENS units available in 2025 to identify the top options that deliver effective pain relief.

Top TENS Units for Pain Relief

We have researched and compiled a list of the top TENS units available in 2025. These devices are designed to provide effective pain relief through electrical stimulation, helping to improve comfort and enhance quality of life. Explore our selections to find the best option for your needs.

Belifu Dual Channel TENS Unit

We highly recommend this product for anyone seeking an effective and user-friendly solution for pain management.

Pros

• Versatile with 24 preprogrammed modes suitable for various pain conditions.
• Long-lasting battery life allows up to 20 hours of use.
• Compact size makes it easy to use at home or on the go.

Cons

• Initial learning curve to understand all the settings.
• Pads may need replacement after extended use.
• Could be too intense for sensitive users at highest settings.

Having utilized the Belifu Dual Channel TENS unit for managing muscle soreness, we found its setup remarkably straightforward. With 24 different modes, it offers ample options for customizing our experience, which is especially beneficial for different parts of the body. After a few sessions, we noticed a significant reduction in our chronic shoulder and back pain.

The device’s portable nature is also a standout feature. We used it in various settings—at home, during work breaks, and even in the car—without any hassle. The rechargeable battery exceeds expectations, and the convenience of avoiding disposable batteries makes it a practical choice for regular use.

While it took us some time to get familiar with the features, once we did, it became a vital part of our pain management routine. Though the pads tend to lose their stickiness over time, having ten reusable pads included in the package provides good value. Overall, this TENS unit offers a great blend of effectiveness and portability for pain relief.

Soterix PainX TENS Unit

This TENS unit offers effective pain relief and convenience, making it a solid choice for those dealing with muscle discomfort.

Pros

• Wireless and portable design for ease of use.
• Adjustable intensity levels to customize the treatment experience.
• Includes EMS modes for comprehensive muscle stimulation.

Cons

• Some users report issues with the electrode pads not sticking well.
• The initial setup may take a bit of time to get used to.
• Limited battery life may require frequent recharging.

Having recently used the Soterix PainX TENS unit, we appreciate its wireless design, which allows us to move around comfortably while receiving treatment. The remote control is a major plus, making it simple to adjust settings without fussing with the device itself. We found the various modes particularly helpful, with different pulse patterns that cater to our specific needs.

One downside we encountered was the reliability of the adhesive on the electrode pads. While they work well initially, their stickiness can fade after a few uses, which detracts from the overall experience. Also, although the setup isn’t overly complicated, we found it takes a bit of time to familiarize ourselves with the remote and various settings.

In terms of performance, the PainX unit does not disappoint. The combination of TENS and EMS therapies allows for effective relief of our muscle pain, making it suitable for use on areas like the knees and shoulders. Despite the minor challenges with the pads and setup, the benefits of effective, drug-free pain relief make this TENS unit a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to manage discomfort.

Buying Guide

When selecting a TENS unit for pain relief, we should consider several key features to ensure we make an informed choice.

1. Pain Relief Modes

Different units offer various modes for adjusting pain relief. Common modes include:

• Tapping
• Kneading
• Acupuncture

We want to choose a unit that provides multiple options to cater to our specific pain relief needs.

2. Intensity Levels

Look for units with adjustable intensity levels. This feature allows us to customize our experience based on individual pain tolerance.

3. Electrode Pads

The quality and size of electrode pads matter. Choose pads that are:

• Reputable for skin safety
• Reusable and easy to clean
• Comfortable and appropriate size for targeted areas

4. Portability

For versatility, we should consider the size and weight of the TENS unit. A compact design is beneficial for both travel and home use.

5. Battery Life

Battery performance directly impacts convenience. We should aim for units with long-lasting batteries to minimize interruptions during treatment.

By focusing on these features, we can select the right TENS unit for effective pain management.

While AS and fibromyalgia are different conditions, they do share some similarities. Both can cause chronic pain and stiffness, and both are more common in women than in men. Additionally, both conditions can be difficult to diagnose, as there are no specific tests or imaging studies that can definitively identify them.

Despite these similarities, it’s important to note that AS and fibromyalgia are distinct conditions that require different treatments. AS is typically treated with medications that reduce inflammation and slow the progression of the disease, while fibromyalgia is often treated with a combination of medications, physical therapy, and lifestyle changes. By understanding the differences between these two conditions, patients and healthcare providers can work together to develop an effective treatment plan that addresses their unique needs.

Understanding Ankylosing Spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints. It is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes pain and stiffness in the back, neck, and hips. In this section, we will discuss the definition, common symptoms and diagnosis, causes, and risk factors of AS.

Definition and Classification

AS is classified as a type of axial spondyloarthritis, which is a group of inflammatory diseases that primarily affect the axial skeleton. The disease is characterized by inflammation of the joints between the vertebrae of the spine and the sacroiliac joints, which connect the sacrum to the pelvis. The inflammation can lead to the fusion of these joints, causing stiffness and limited mobility.

Common Symptoms and Diagnosis

The symptoms of AS can vary from person to person, but the most common symptoms include pain and stiffness in the back, neck, and hips. The pain and stiffness are usually worse in the morning or after periods of inactivity. Other symptoms may include fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight loss.

Diagnosis of AS can be challenging, as there is no single test that can confirm the disease. Doctors typically use a combination of physical exams, medical history, imaging tests, and blood tests to diagnose AS. The most commonly used classification criteria for AS are the modified New York criteria, which include X-ray evidence of sacroiliitis and other clinical features.

Causes and Risk Factors

The exact cause of AS is unknown, but it is believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The HLA-B27 gene is strongly associated with the development of AS, but not everyone with the gene will develop the disease. Other risk factors for AS include age, as the disease typically develops in early adulthood, and a family history of the disease.

In conclusion, AS is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints. The disease is characterized by pain and stiffness in the back, neck, and hips, and can lead to fusion of the affected joints. While there is no cure for AS, early diagnosis and treatment can help manage symptoms and prevent complications.

Understanding Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by widespread pain and tenderness in the muscles, joints, and soft tissues. In addition to pain, fibromyalgia can cause fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties.

Definition and Classification Criteria

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has established criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia. According to the ACR, a person is considered to have fibromyalgia if they have widespread pain and tenderness in at least 11 of 18 specific tender points on the body. However, some doctors may diagnose fibromyalgia based on a patient’s symptoms and medical history, rather than relying solely on the ACR criteria.

Symptoms and Sensitivity

One of the hallmark symptoms of fibromyalgia is sensitivity to touch and pressure. This sensitivity, known as central sensitization, can cause even light touch to be painful. People with fibromyalgia may also experience heightened sensitivity to other stimuli, such as noise, light, and temperature changes.

In addition to pain and sensitivity, fibromyalgia can cause a range of other symptoms, including fatigue, sleep disturbances, headaches, depression, and anxiety. These symptoms can vary in severity and can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life.

Diagnosis and Challenges

Diagnosing fibromyalgia can be challenging, as there is no single test or imaging study that can definitively diagnose the condition. Instead, doctors must rely on a combination of a patient’s symptoms, medical history, and physical exam findings.

Because fibromyalgia shares many symptoms with other conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis, it is important for doctors to rule out other potential causes of a patient’s symptoms before diagnosing fibromyalgia. This can involve a series of blood tests, imaging studies, and other diagnostic tests.

Overall, fibromyalgia is a complex condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. However, with the right treatment and support, many people with fibromyalgia are able to manage their symptoms and maintain a good quality of life.

Comparing Symptoms and Diagnosis

Overlap in Clinical Features

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and fibromyalgia (FM) are two distinct conditions that share some clinical features, leading to potential diagnostic confusion. Both conditions can cause musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and morning stiffness. However, the nature of the pain differs between the two conditions. In AS, the pain is typically inflammatory back pain, which improves with exercise and worsens with rest. In contrast, FM pain is non-inflammatory and often involves widespread tender points.

Another common symptom in both conditions is fatigue. However, the fatigue in FM is often more severe and debilitating than in AS. Joint pain is another symptom that can be present in both conditions, but it is more common and severe in AS.

Diagnostic Criteria and Assessments

The diagnostic criteria for AS and FM are distinct, and different assessments are used to diagnose each condition. The diagnosis of AS is based on clinical and radiographic criteria, including the presence of inflammatory back pain, sacroiliitis on imaging, and the presence of HLA-B27 antigen. In contrast, the diagnosis of FM is based on the presence of widespread musculoskeletal pain and tenderness at specific tender points.

Assessments used to diagnose and monitor AS include the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI). These assessments evaluate the severity of symptoms such as pain, stiffness, and functional impairment. In contrast, assessments used to diagnose and monitor FM include the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue (MAF), which evaluate the impact of symptoms on quality of life and daily functioning.

In summary, while AS and FM share some clinical features, they are distinct conditions with different diagnostic criteria and assessments. It is important for healthcare providers to differentiate between the two conditions to provide appropriate treatment and management.

Treatment Strategies

Medications and Therapies

Treatment for ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia typically involves a combination of medications and therapies. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help reduce pain and inflammation in both conditions. Corticosteroids may also be prescribed for short-term relief of symptoms. In addition, medications such as pregabalin and duloxetine may be used to manage fibromyalgia symptoms such as pain and fatigue.

Biologic medications may also be prescribed for ankylosing spondylitis. These medications work by targeting specific proteins in the immune system that contribute to inflammation. Physical therapy and occupational therapy may also be recommended to help improve mobility and reduce pain.

Exercise and Lifestyle Changes

Regular exercise can be beneficial for both ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia. Low-impact exercises such as swimming, walking, and yoga can help improve flexibility and reduce pain. It is important to work with a healthcare professional to develop an exercise plan that is safe and effective.

In addition to exercise, lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough sleep can also be helpful. Stress reduction techniques such as meditation and deep breathing may also be beneficial.

Alternative Treatments and Support

Alternative treatments such as acupuncture and massage therapy may also be helpful in managing symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia. It is important to discuss these options with a healthcare professional before trying them.

Support groups can also be a valuable resource for individuals with these conditions. Connecting with others who are going through similar experiences can provide emotional support and practical advice.

Living with AS and Fibromyalgia

Living with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and Fibromyalgia can be challenging. Both conditions can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life, making it difficult to carry out daily activities and participate in social events. However, with the right support and management strategies, it is possible to live a fulfilling life with these conditions.

Quality of Life and Daily Impact

AS and Fibromyalgia can cause a range of symptoms that can affect a person’s quality of life. Chronic pain, stiffness, fatigue, and sleep problems are common symptoms of both conditions. These symptoms can make it difficult to carry out daily activities such as getting dressed, cooking, and cleaning.

To manage these symptoms, people with AS and Fibromyalgia may need to make adjustments to their daily routine. This may include taking regular breaks, pacing themselves, and using assistive devices such as mobility aids or ergonomic tools.

Mental Health Considerations

Living with chronic pain and fatigue can take a toll on a person’s mental health. Depression and anxiety are common in people with AS and Fibromyalgia. It is essential to seek help if you are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety. There are many treatment options available, including counseling, medication, and support groups.

Community and Support Systems

Having a support system is vital when living with AS and Fibromyalgia. Support can come from family, friends, healthcare providers, and support groups. Support groups can provide a safe space to share experiences and connect with others who understand what it’s like to live with these conditions.

In conclusion, living with AS and Fibromyalgia can be challenging, but with the right support and management strategies, it is possible to live a fulfilling life. By making adjustments to daily routines, seeking help for mental health concerns, and connecting with support systems, people with AS and Fibromyalgia can improve their quality of life and overall well-being.

Research and Future Directions

Recent Studies and Findings

Ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia are two chronic disorders that often occur together and can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life. Recent research studies have focused on understanding the underlying mechanisms of these conditions and identifying biomarkers that can aid in diagnosis and treatment.

One recent study published in the journal Rheumatology International found that patients with ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia had higher levels of certain inflammatory markers compared to patients with ankylosing spondylitis alone. These findings suggest that inflammation may play a role in the development and progression of fibromyalgia in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Another study published in the journal Arthritis Research and Therapy found that patients with ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia had more severe clinical features compared to patients with ankylosing spondylitis alone. These findings highlight the need for early and accurate diagnosis of fibromyalgia in patients with ankylosing spondylitis to improve clinical outcomes.

Advancements in Treatments

While there is currently no cure for ankylosing spondylitis or fibromyalgia, advancements in treatments have improved outcomes for patients. Biologic therapies, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, have been shown to be effective in reducing inflammation and improving symptoms in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

For fibromyalgia, cognitive-behavioral therapy and exercise have been shown to be effective in reducing pain and improving quality of life. However, more research is needed to identify targeted therapies for fibromyalgia that can address the underlying mechanisms of the condition.

The Importance of Patient Advocacy

Patient advocacy is crucial in advancing research and improving outcomes for patients with ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia. ArthritisPower, a patient-centered research registry, allows patients to share their experiences and participate in research studies to improve understanding of these conditions.

Patient advocacy groups, such as the Spondylitis Association of America and the National Fibromyalgia Association, provide resources and support for patients and advocate for increased research funding and access to treatments.

In conclusion, ongoing research and advancements in treatments have improved outcomes for patients with ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia. However, more research is needed to improve understanding of these conditions and identify targeted therapies for fibromyalgia. Patient advocacy is crucial in advancing research and improving outcomes for patients.

Living with chronic pain can be a challenging journey, often accompanied by unanswered questions and a search for answers. One rare condition that may be causing your persistent pain is adhesive arachnoiditis. Although its name may sound daunting, understanding this condition can empower you with knowledge and open doors to potential relief. In this article, we will delve into the world of adhesive arachnoiditis, exploring its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options. Remember, while chronic pain may seem overwhelming, there is always hope for better days ahead.

What is Adhesive Arachnoiditis?

Adhesive arachnoiditis is a rare disorder characterized by inflammation of the arachnoid, a delicate membrane surrounding the spinal cord and brain. This inflammation can lead to the formation of scar tissue, which causes the nerves within the spinal canal to stick together. As a result, chronic pain and other debilitating symptoms may arise.

Understanding the Symptoms:

The symptoms of adhesive arachnoiditis can vary from person to person. Some individuals may experience persistent pain localized in the back, legs, or arms. Others may encounter numbness, tingling, or weakness in these areas. Additionally, adhesive arachnoiditis can manifest as muscle cramps, spasms, or shooting pains. It’s essential to remember that symptoms may fluctuate over time and can be influenced by various factors, including physical activity, stress, or weather changes.

Causes and Risk Factors:

Adhesive arachnoiditis can be caused by a variety of factors. These may include spinal surgeries, invasive spinal procedures, spinal infections, trauma, or the use of certain medications. Although anyone can develop adhesive arachnoiditis, there are certain risk factors that may increase the likelihood. These include multiple spinal procedures, previous spinal infections, and the use of certain substances, such as oil-based myelographic contrast agents.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosing adhesive arachnoiditis can be challenging, as its symptoms often overlap with other conditions. However, with the help of a skilled healthcare professional, an accurate diagnosis can be achieved. Typically, the diagnostic process includes a comprehensive review of your medical history, a thorough physical examination, and the utilization of imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans. Additionally, your doctor may order a nerve conduction study or a spinal tap to further evaluate your condition.

Treatment Options:

Although there is no definitive cure for adhesive arachnoiditis, various treatment options are available to manage its symptoms and improve your quality of life. The primary goal of treatment is to reduce pain, enhance function, and increase your overall well-being. Your healthcare provider may recommend a multidisciplinary approach, which may include:

1. Pain Management: Medications, both oral and topical, can be prescribed to alleviate pain associated with adhesive arachnoiditis. These may include analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, or nerve pain medications. In some cases, nerve blocks or epidural injections may also be considered to provide temporary relief.
2. Physical Therapy: A skilled physical therapist can guide you through exercises and techniques to improve strength, flexibility, and posture. Physical therapy aims to reduce pain, enhance mobility, and promote an active lifestyle.
3. Psychological Support: Chronic pain can take a toll on one’s emotional well-being. Seeking counseling or participating in support groups can provide valuable coping strategies, reduce stress, and foster a positive mindset.
4. Alternative Therapies: Complementary approaches such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, or massage therapy may offer additional relief for some individuals. These therapies focus on reducing pain, promoting relaxation, and improving overall well-being.
5. Assistive Devices: In certain cases, assistive devices like braces, splints, or canes may be recommended to support your affected limbs and improve mobility.

Living Optimistically with Adhesive Arachnoiditis:

While adhesive arachnoiditis can present challenges, it’s important to remember that you are not alone in your journey. Connecting with others who share similar experiences can offer support, empathy, and valuable insights. Online communities, support groups, and patient advocacy organizations can be great resources to find solace and guidance.

Moreover, it is crucial to maintain a positive mindset and practice self-care. Engaging in activities that bring you joy, practicing relaxation techniques, and taking care of your physical and emotional well-being are vital components of managing chronic pain.

Seeking Hope and Encouragement:

Living with adhesive arachnoiditis may feel overwhelming at times, but it’s important to remain hopeful. Advances in medical research are constantly uncovering new treatment options and strategies for managing chronic pain. Stay informed, keep an open line of communication with your healthcare provider, and never hesitate to seek a second opinion.

Remember, you are more than your pain. Surround yourself with a support system that understands and uplifts you. Celebrate small victories, focus on the things you can control, and nurture a positive outlook for the future.

Conclusion:

While adhesive arachnoiditis is a rare condition associated with chronic pain, understanding its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options can provide a glimmer of hope. By working closely with your healthcare provider and adopting a multidisciplinary approach, you can take steps towards managing your pain, improving your quality of life, and finding moments of joy. Remember, you are resilient, and together, we can navigate the challenges of chronic pain and build a brighter future.

An active lifestyle needs to have healthy spinal discs, but among the other unfortunate effects of aging, these spinal discs tend to degenerate as we grow older.

Lumbar degenerative disc disease, which is the word generally used to describe severe or problematic degeneration of the spinal discs between the lumbar vertebrae (in the lower back).

This typically occurs in people between the ages 30 and 50 and can happen to anyone naturally.

It can be exacerbated, however, by trauma, and is more common in smokers than in non-smokers.

What Does This Disease Mean for You?

In most cases, degeneration of lumbar discs is not a problem. As I have said, it is quite normal to see some degeneration of spinal discs as people age, but not all people will experience pain or become symptomatic in any way.

However, there are rare cases where degeneration of lumbar discs leads to pain and discomfort.

Even in the cases that pain from this degeneration does occur, is typically minor or uncommon, and requires minimal or no treatment.

This pain is most commonly caused by

• irritation and compression of nerves as degenerating lumbar discs lessen the space between vertebrae.
• leaking of proteins from discs, and the consequent irritation of the surrounding areas.
• destabilization of the spine.

In certain people, this pain can hinder the quality of their everyday life and will require treatment.

How Can You Treat Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease?

Lumbar degenerative disc disease is typically very treatable, but it is necessary to take steps early and deliberately.

There are several changes people can make to their activities.

• Avoid heavy lifting, or learn the safest possible form for heavy lifting
• Correct your posture to put less strain on your lower back
• Buy an ergonomic chair

These are all relatively easy lifestyle fixes. Much of one’s lifestyle can impact the severity and the progression of the disease, so it is important to take note of your contributing activities (such as jobs that require heavy lifting).

Physical Therapy and Chiropractic

Additionally, people might find it useful to see a physical therapist or engage in activities that can increase blood flow, and ease the stress on, the lower back. These include:

• Hamstring stretches,
• Aerobic activity, such as swimming

But of course, it is always recommended to see a physical therapist or your doctor before pursuing a physical activity as a treatment option. In addition to a physical therapist, one can see a chiropractor.

The work of a chiropractor can increase blood flow and range of motion in the lower back, and reduce muscle tension and pressure on nerves, making living with lumbar degenerative disc disease much more manageable than otherwise.

Medication

In cases where the pain is very severe, certain medications can be taken. Some non-steroid anti-inflammatories are sold without a prescription and are a good option.

Painkillers, prescription and nonprescription, can also help patients with lumbar degenerative disc disease.

In more severe cases, an epidural injection, or stronger prescription medication, can be used to ease pain and make the disease more manageable.

It will be important to speak with your doctor to see if the medication can help.

It should be noted, however, that I have only mentioned ways of managing the symptoms of lumbar degenerative disc disease.

Medication, exercise, and chiropractic do not cure the disease. Although, note that it exists on a spectrum, from the normal spinal disc degeneration of aging people to slightly more severe degeneration, and up to those requiring drastic intervention to preserve mobility and quality of life.

For most people, managing the symptoms and taking steps to prevent any worsening of their condition will be enough.

Some people, however, if degeneration is severe enough, will require surgical intervention.

Surgery

Surgery for lumbar degenerative disc disease usually consists in either fusing the vertebrae between which the problem disc sits, or replacing the disc.

These are invasive surgeries, and any decision regarding them should be conducted with extreme caution.

Spinal fusion

To fuse vertebrae can effectively solve the problems of the disease in the long term, as it simply cures it.

A spinal fusion involves placing implants and bone grafts in and around the lower spine, cutting off mobility between the two vertebrae.

Thus surgery halts the nerve inflammation and compression, disc leakage, and spinal instability, which are the main causes of pain in lumbar degenerative disc disease. Fusions can be done between one, two, or three vertebrae.

But multi-level fusions are uncommon, because they can be painful in their own right, and can significantly reduce mobility.

Fusions in general, even single-level fusions, do cut off some mobility, and recovery can take a long time (up to 18 months for the bone graft to solidify).

So it must be noted that spinal fusion, while it can be a permanent cure for the disease, is an option that needs extensive discussion with your doctor (or doctors!)

An important note on recovery. Nicotine, the active ingredient in tobacco, is a bone toxin and contributes to deterioration.

Recipients of bone grafts are advised to not smoke cigarettes or otherwise consume tobacco.

Of course, it is an individual decision, but nicotine significantly reduces the chances of a successful recovery from a spinal fusion.

Disc Replacement

Another surgical option is to replace the problematic spinal disc with an artificial one.

Disc replacement is a newer innovation, and we have yet to see the long-term results of this procedure.

A major concern is needing to replace the artificial disc, meaning a second surgery with its costs, recovery time, and risks.

But we will see the developments of this technology in coming years, and it may prove to be an essential part of treating lumbar degenerative disc disease.

In Conclusion

Solving the problems caused by lumbar degenerative disc disease will require a holistic approach, and a combination of lifestyle, physical, medical, and (perhaps even) surgical, solutions to effectively treat.

Because much of the treatment of the disease involves mitigation and prevention, a carefully balanced approach, including an understanding of the impacts of one’s lifestyle, such as heavy lifting, poor posture, and smoking, is important in ensuring continued quality of life despite the degeneration of lumbar discs.

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is the most frequent cause of back pain among people older than 45. The condition occurs when discs that sit between each vertebra in the spine begin to break down and lose some of their height, which can cause painful changes like bulges or herniated discs.

Degenerative disc disease, or DDD, is pain stemming from a degenerated disc in the spine.

With continued disc degeneration, the inflammatory proteins within the disc will burn out, and the disc will have a hard time moving on the micro-level, which can cause intense pain.

Many people who have the disease in their early years are concerned that they will be in a wheelchair by the time they are old.

That’s why it’s important to address the question, what exactly makes degenerative disc disease worse?

Before we get too specific, it’s important to note that anything that is normally bad or has negative effects on the body, and anything that is normally bad for the back, is inherently going to make degenerative disc disease worse.

Your discs are found in your back. So when stress is put on the back or around the back or it is injured, your discs can take a lot of the wrap.

The spine is the support system for the entire body and the back is where it lives. When the back has an injury, the discs get injured as well.

For example, when picking up heavy objects or equipment, if you strain your back and don’t use your knees, you can injure your back.

For someone who has degenerative disc disease, your back would get hurt on top of being hurt.

So things that normally could hurt the back, are things that should probably be avoided by people who have degenerative disc disease.

Preventing Back Pain

Some of these things that can hurt your back, are lifting things that are too heavy for you to lift.

For example, trying to move all of your furniture out of the house by yourself can put a strain on your back and spine and can worsen symptoms of degenerative disc disease.

Another thing that is bad for your back and your discs, is being bent over, like at a computer. This is bad for your back.

Think of it this way: if it’s bad for your back, it’s even worse for your degenerative disc disease.

Some of the normal bad habits that can make degenerative disc disease worse are not eating a healthy diet, not exercising properly, and not getting enough sleep.

The fact is that having a poor diet means that your bones and muscles aren’t getting the proper nutrients they need to operate at their optimum potential.

It’s important to take care of your body for you to be able to take care of your back.

You’re only as strong as your weakest link. Your discs should be your weakest link. Not your body.

When you do not exercise, your muscles and bones lose strength and density and get used to less motion and doing fewer activities.

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body doesn’t get the rest it needs to recover from everyday activities and reduce stress.

If you have degenerative disc disease, having a poor diet, exercise, and sleep routine and schedule may not be making your disease worse, but it isn’t making it any better.

Slowing Down The Progression

Some of the things that you can eat to make your body healthier are bright vegetables, fruits, and other things loaded with vitamins and minerals. This will make your muscles and bones stronger.

Even taking vitamins is good because it can help you get the nutrients and things you don’t get from eating and drinking alone.

Drinking milk and other types of calcium can help you keep your bones strong and slow down degenerative disc disease, and exercise can help your bones get stronger too.

However, some actual everyday motions and actions can make the disease worse over time.

For example, smoking can make degenerative disc disease worse by making it harder for discs to retain water. It also eats away at the disc bones themselves.

People who smoke tend to show signs of arthritis and osteoporosis earlier in life, which also means their bones are going to be more brittle and breakable. This will make it easier for degenerative disc disease to progress.

Keeping Your Discs Healthy

Some everyday motions that can make degenerative disc disease worse are sitting, bending, twisting, and any other common movements that involve the backbones rubbing against each other.

Sitting has been known to cause some of the most severe pain for people with this disease because many people have a bad posture on top of low activity and low movement.

This is a problem because it puts strain, weight, and pressure on the spinal cord and also the discs, which make the discs degenerate even faster.

Walking or running, on the other hand, has been known to relieve some of the painful symptoms of degenerative disc disease because it alleviates some of the pressure on the joints and the discs.

In short, there are many causes of back pain, which inherently mean there are many things that can make degenerative disc disease worse or progress at a faster rate than it would in a healthy individual.

These things range from common everyday motions like sitting, bending, and stretching, to very bad habits like smoking and having a poor diet.

The worsening of the disease is something that can be slowed down by eating a proper diet, exercising, and taking good care of your body and all its parts.

Remember: if it’s back on your back, it’s even worse for your degenerative disc disease. If it’s good for your body, it’s even better for degenerative disc disease.

Sources

http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/tc/degenerative-disc-disease-topic-overview

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/degenerative-disc-disease/what-degenerative-disc-disease

http://www.livestrong.com/article/174654-things-that-make-degenerative-disc-disease-worse/

Lower back pain can be caused by a multitude of problems, but usually, it is triggered by overusing the muscles of the back.

However, lower back pain can also be caused by sciatica, carrying extra weight due to obesity or pregnancy, a herniated disc, or arthritis. However, one of the common causes of lower back pain is degenerative disc disease.

What is Degenerative Disc Disease?

A simple explanation for this disease is that it describes the symptoms of pain and radiating weakness and/or numbness caused by a degenerated disc in the spine.

The spine is made up of a chain of bones, called vertebra, that are divided by softer fibrocartilage, spinal discs, that hold the vertebra together and act as a cushion between them.

Without the disc separating the vertebra, the bones would grind against each other and quickly wear down. This would not only cause more pain, but people would have difficulty moving around.

Degenerative Disc Disease, often referred to by its initials DDD, technically isn’t a disease. When people get the diagnosis of DDD, they are often worried because it sounds like it could be a disease that will get worse over time.

Fortunately, not only is it not a disease, but it isn’t necessarily degenerative either.

While people assume that degenerative symptoms will get worse over time, in the case of DDD, degenerative does not refer to the progression of the symptoms, but only the possibility that a disc will degenerate over time.

Although disc degeneration can take place as you age, pain from the degeneration usually doesn’t get worse, but it often gets better given enough time.

Disc degeneration is a natural part of the aging process and everyone will show changes or some degeneration in their discs as they get older.

Discs contain about 80% water and, as people age, the discs tend to dry out and shrink in size, which can lead to wear and tear on the spine.

However, not everyone develops noticeable symptoms of DDD because the condition can vary in how it is presented and in severity.

How Back Pain Lessens with Degenerative Disc Disease

A process called “degenerative cascade” explains how back pain due to DDD can get better over time. Blood contains nutrients and oxygen that it delivers throughout the body to keep organs, muscles, and other tissues healthy.

However, spinal discs receive a minimal amount of blood, so they cannot repair themselves compared to other parts of the body that get more blood.

The reduction of back pain due to DDD is a long process, sometimes taking 20 to 30 years.  Studies have shown less back pain in people over 60 years old than those 30 to 50 years of age.

Doctor William H. Kirkably-Willis theorized in the 1970s that there are three stages in which a disc degenerates after an injury to it and that can lead to a reduction of pain.

• Significant dysfunction is caused by acute back pain due to the injury.
• There is a long period of instability in the vertebra where the injury occurred and the patient will have intermittent bouts of back pain.
• The body can re-stabilize the vertebral segment and the patient experiences less back pain.

What Causes DDD?

Although lifestyle and injuries are what usually lead to DDD, they can also be hereditary. A study that was done in Utah showed that if a parent, sibling, or other immediate family member had disc-related lower back pain, such as DDD,  then their relatives were four times more likely to also have lower back pain issues.

Although researchers admitted the study wasn’t conclusive, it did give evidence of a genetic component of DDD.

The most common ways that DDD occurs are:

• The loss of fluid in the discs occurs naturally with the aging process.
• Damage to the disc in which small tears or cracks develop on the outer part of the disc and the fluid from within it leaks out through those cracks or tears.  This often results in bulging or ruptured discs.
• A sudden injury can accelerate the process of degeneration.
• Bone spurs can develop when there is less separation between the vertebra.  The spurs can press on the spinal cord and interfere with nerve function and cause pain.
• Spinal stenosis, which is the narrowing of the interior of the spinal canal, can also put pressure on the nerve that runs the length of the spine.
• There are risk factors for developing DDD.  People who are obese have a greater risk of developing DDD.  Those who do strenuous physical work and smokers also have a greater chance of developing DDD. Smoking and lower pain back have been linked because smoking causes atherosclerosis, which is the narrowing of the arteries.  Studies have also linked Atherosclerosis to lower back pain and degenerative disorders of the spinal discs, including DDD

The Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease

The symptoms of DDD often vary between people who develop this disc disorder. Some people may experience little to no pain, while others have excruciating pain that interferes with their daily activities.

The early symptoms of DDD often include lower back pain that can be felt in either or both of the buttocks and legs, which is known as sciatica. Sciatica pain is often described by sufferers as pressure or burning pain, which can be intense at times.

Some people also feel a numbness or tingling in their leg or foot, but this usually isn’t a cause for concern unless it is accompanied by weakness in the leg muscles.

Sometimes muscle pain can be intense and may last anywhere from a few days to a few months. Many people with DDD experience chronic pain with this condition.

For some people, chronic pain is only annoying, but others can experience intense pain that can be disabling.

Other symptoms of DDD include worsening pain with some activities like bending down, lifting even a small amount of weight, or twisting the body.

Being in some positions can increase the pain people feel. Sitting is often worse than standing for those with lumbar degenerative discs because sitting puts up to three times more pressure on the discs in the lumbar region.

Walking or running may feel better to some people than sitting or standing for a long period.

Changing positions when they sleep can help some people, but also, laying in a recliner with their feet propped up or having a pillow beneath the knees while in bed can feel better because it helps to relieve stress on the lumbar discs.

Cervical and Lumbar Symptoms

Symptoms can vary depending on which area of the spine is affected by disc degeneration. Degeneration in the cervical spine is the most common reason for a stiff neck.

Usually, DDD in the cervical area is rarer than it is in the lumbar spine, but it can be caused by an injury to the neck, such as a fall or twisting injury. The injury can prompt DDD, as can accumulate wear and tear on cervical discs.

Along with pain in the neck or a stiff neck, disc degeneration can cause numbness, tingling, or weakness in the neck, shoulders, and arms resulting from irritated or a pinched nerve in the cervical region.

Degeneration can cause progressive issues like cervical stenosis, which is a narrowing within the spinal canal, and herniated discs can also occur.

In the lumbar or lower back area, some of the more common symptoms are:

• Lower back pain can radiate to the hips and legs and is often caused by inflammation in the disc area.
• Continuous back pain often lasts more than six weeks.
• Pain that often feels worse when sitting, standing for long periods, twisting motions, bending, and lifting objects.
• More serve symptoms can be numbing and tingling in the legs.  Difficulty walking and developing drop foot can be an indication of nerve root damage.
• DDD in the lumbar area can lead to herniated discs or lumbar stenosis.

It should be noted that the patient’s level of pain does not indicate the amount of degeneration in the area. Some patients who experience no or very little pain could have more damage to their disc(s) than a patient who experiences excruciating pain.

Diagnosing Degenerative Disc Disease

If you have persistent back pain, make an appointment with your doctor to get your back problem diagnosed.  Your doctor will ask about the location and severity of your pain as well as if you’ve had any recent falls, accidents, or injuries.

He or she will also ask if there is any numbness or tingling in your back or legs. After you’ve answered your doctor’s questions, he or she will usually examine the office.

A nerve function test is often done to check for nerve compression by tapping different areas with a reflex hammer.  If there is little to no reaction, it could be because a nerve in your back is compressed.

The doctor may also test your nerves with hot and cold stimuli to test their reaction to temperature changes.

The strength of your muscles will be tested by pushing or pulling your legs and feet against the doctor’s hands. They may also have you undress to check for unusual muscle movements, such as twitches, and check for muscle atrophy.

Another way for them to check for possible degenerative disc issues is to examine your back by palpating the area that is sore and having you move in certain ways, like bending over or twisting, to see if the movement causes you pain. If so, it could be a good indication of the existence of degenerative disc disease.

After conducting their examination, your doctor may request further diagnostic tests, usually diagnostic imaging tests.

A CT, MRI, discogram or myelogram may be ordered so your doctor can see the inside of your body and get a look at the spine.  They will be able to see any problems with the vertebra, discs, and nerves of the spine.

They will also check for other possible causes of your symptoms, such as a tumor in or around your spine.  Depending on what is found, your doctor may refer you to a specialist like an orthopedist, neurologist, or neurosurgeon.

Treating Degenerative Disc Disease

Unfortunately, disc degeneration cannot be reversed, but with habit changes, exercise, and, sometimes, pain management, your back can feel better and your quality of life can improve.

However, depending on the severity of your condition, surgery could be necessary to help improve your back condition. Surgery is usually the last resort as there is no firm evidence that it can help in cases of disc degeneration.

Nonsurgical Treatments for DDD

Conservative, non-surgical methods to treat your back are the preferred methods among doctors. Your doctor may suggest habit changes, medications, resting your back, physical therapy, and exercise to help reduce pain, and inflammation and to help you be more active. Even for severe cases of DDD, these suggestions can help improve your condition.

Habit Changes

Making changes to the way you sit, stand, and perform routine tasks can help reduce pain in your back and improve your activity level.

When you sit, stand, or walk, having good posture can help keep your back in alignment, which is the best thing you can do.

Prolonged sitting is often painful, so taking a break to stand up or working while standing can help relieve some of the pain you may experience.

When you are sitting watching television, many people feel better when sitting in a recliner with their feet propped up.

This helps to reduce the pressure on the lower back, thus reducing pain. Your workstation may need to be adjusted to help you cope with back pain while doing work tasks.

Also, learning how to properly bend and lift objects, whether they are light or heavy, can help your back.

Stress Reduction

Stress can cause your body to feel tense, which acts to increase pain. Reducing your stress by relaxing can help manage your pain and allow your muscles to loosen up, which also reduces pain.

Learn to control your stress through deep breathing exercises, meditation, and by doing relaxation exercises. If your doctor approves, taking yoga is a good way to reduce stress as well.

Physical Therapy

Going to physical therapy can help patients get back to their normal activities as soon as possible. Exercising can help you heal faster because it works well to reduce the pain associated with DDD.

Physical therapists can show you how to strengthen and stretch the muscles in your legs, lower back, and stomach, known as your core muscles.

Having strong core muscles helps to support a weak back, which can help improve posture and reduce pain.  They will also help you to make your spine more flexible.

Some of the exercises to help build your core muscles include yoga, Pilates, and swimming. Weightlifting can help strengthen muscles and help your stability, but only do weightlifting exercises that do not bend the body.

Prescription Medications

Taking medications to help reduce pain, and inflammation and to keep muscles loose can help those with DDD feel better and be more comfortable throughout the day or at night. Some of the medicines your doctor may prescribe are:

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammation Drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen, ibuprofen, or aspirin. They help reduce both inflammation and pain.

Your doctor will monitor your liver and kidney function while on these drugs as they can be harmful to those organs when taken for a prolonged amount of time.

Analgesics help with pain relief, but they do not help with inflammation.  These drugs don’t have the side effects of NSAIDS and they will often be prescribed in conjunction with NSAIDs, especially if you are coping with severe pain.

Steroids are a fast-acting medication for reducing inflammation and swelling around the nerves.  They can be prescribed as an oral medication or as an epidural injection. Steroids will usually help reduce pain within 24 hours.

Muscle relaxants can help keep muscles loose and help stop painful muscle spasms.

Alternative Medicine Treatments

Some people what a more natural way to help treat DDD and some alternative medicines can help reduce stress, pain, and muscle tension and help cope with other chronic problems associated with DDD.

Chiropractic care, acupuncture, acupressure, and biofeedback are some of the treatments that can help treat DDD.

Surgical Options for DDD

If a more conservative approach hasn’t worked or if a patient has more serious problems because of DDD, then your doctor may refer you to a back surgeon to discuss your surgical options.

Surgery can remove bone spurs that may be pressing on nerves, decompress nerves and stabilize the areas where there is the painful movement of the spine.  There are two types of surgery that may be recommended to you:

Spinal Fusion

This surgery stabilizes the spine by joining together two vertebral segments of the spine.  This is done by inserting a rod and putting screws in both vertebrae to join them together and stop their movement.

An interbody fusion cage will also be inserted between the sections of the vertebra that are joined together, which will help restore the height of the disc space.

Although a spinal fusion can be done on any part of the spine, the cervical and lumbar regions are the most common areas because those sections of the spine have the most movement.

Decompression Surgery

There are different types of decompression surgery that can be done to help relieve pressure on the spine.  The types of decompression surgical procedures include:

• Factory – This removes the facet joint in the section of the spine that is damaged.
• Foraminotomy – This involves relieving the compression on the nerve by enlarging the foramen area.
• Laminectomy – The surgeon will remove all or part of the lamina to relieve the pressure on the spine.
• Laminotomy – This surgery is similar to a laminectomy, but the opening is larger to give the nerves more room.

Usually, the surgeon enters from the back of the spine for these procedures. However, they may have to enter from the front, or anterior, if the patient has a bulging or herniated disc that is pressing up against the spinal canal.  Anterior decompress procedures include:

• Discectomy – This is done to remove a portion of the entire spinal disc.
• Corpectomy – The vertebral bodies and adjacent discs are removed to help relieve pressure on the spinal cord.

Another surgical treatment called Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy (IDET) can be performed by inserting a thin catheter to insert heat directly into the discs to shrink any tears or fissures in the annulus and thermo-coagulate nerves to help reduce discogenic back pain.

Although back could be a necessity depending on how the severity of their DDD, if available, your doctor might recommend clinical trials for new techniques or medications to help with DDD instead of resorting to surgery.

However, if you are experiencing weakness in the legs, trouble walking, or other similar symptoms, surgery may be your best option to stabilize your back and help you be able to maintain or regain an active lifestyle.

If you or anyone else has early symptoms of degenerative disc disease it is important to contact your doctor for an examination.

Like any other medical problem, if it is caught in its early stages, treatments can help you strengthen your core muscles and make lifestyle adjustments to help you maintain your activity level and keep the problem from getting worse.

Since degenerative disc disease is part of the natural aging process, it is important to maintain your spine health by exercising regularly, maintaining an appropriate weight, having good posture, and learning how to correctly lift and carry objects.  DDD isn’t preventable, but you can maintain your lifestyle with good habits and a healthy spine.

 Further reading:

What is Degenerative Disc Disease?

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/degenerative-disc-disease/what-degenerative-disc-disease

The “Degenerative Cascade” of a Degenerating Disc:

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/degenerative-disc-disease/degenerative-cascade-a-degenerating-disc

degenerative disc disease (spondylosis):

http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-DDD.htm#.VLxh43sZmFA

Back Pain May Be Inherited:

http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/news/20110204/back-pain-may-be-inherited

What is degenerative disc disease?

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266630.php

Additional Resources: 

Degenerative Disc Disease Health Center:

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/degenerative-disc-disease

Degenerative Disc Disease Center:

http://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/degenerative-disc-disease

Degenerative Disc Disease:

http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Health-Conditions/Degenerative-Disc-Disease.aspx

As with anything, time and use take their toll on every part of us. Your neck is certainly no exception.  One such toll is known as Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease.

Another factor that comes into play and affects our bodies are our lifestyle choices. diet, exercise, weight, and smoking all play a part.

Knowing what affects our spines and how to reduce the risks is a great first step to a healthier neck.

Understanding Cervical Discs

Before delving into exactly what Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease is, let’s look at cervical discs. We have a total of twenty-three discs total in our spinal columns.

Of these, six are known as cervical discs. Each of these six discs are made up of flexible, tough outer woven cartilage strand layer. These layers are called the annulus fibrosus.

Additionally, there is a soft interior that is filled with nucleus pulposus, which is a mucoprotein gel.  This is the substance that gives your cervical discs their natural shock absorption property.

What Is Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease?

While Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease is not technically a disease, it is severe condition for many people.

Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease can be recognized as the breakdown of disc in the upper spine.  This typically starts as small annular tears, which eventually creates scar tissue.

The cervical (upper) spine needs to be both flexible and equally strong. This puts an immense amount of pressure on the discs.

This continued pressure, in addition to protein and water loss in the discs, also contributes to Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease.

What to Look For

It is estimated that the majority adults suffer from symptoms of Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease, even if they do not display any of the symptoms.

Some of the signs to be aware of when determining if you have Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease are the following:

• Bulging Discs
• Collapsed Discs
• Herniated Discs
• Localized Neck Pain

Symptoms may also be noticed radiating throughout the arms, shoulders, hands, and fingers. There are more specific symptoms that relate to Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease.

• Burning/Shooting Pain Down the Length of the Nerve
• Tingling and Numbness
• Muscle Weakness
• Impairment of Motor Skills

Detecting and Diagnosing Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease

As already stated the majority of adults are already show signs of Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease.

Most doctors will start with a thorough medical history. They will want to know about your symptoms, how severe they are, and what you have already tried to help with the pain.

If you are exhibiting some of the symptoms doctors have options to further detect and diagnose you.

If you have more advanced Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease, then a standard X-ray can show a reduction in disc height or the collapse of the disc(s).  A more comprehensive testing is done with the use of a MRI.

How to Manage the Pain?

While the pain that comes from Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease can be severe there are ways that you can help alleviate some that pain.

Hot and Cold Compresses – as with certain other injuries, applying either a heated gel pack or an ice pack to the painful area may offer some relief

Medication – an anti-inflammatory plus over the counter pain medication, such as acetaminophen, can help alleviate pain and inflammation (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications include ibuprofen and naproxen)

Physical Therapy/Exercise – some form of exercise and stretching can increase the strength and flexibility in the neck, lowering the risk of damage and/or pain

Manual Adjustments – seeking the care of a chiropractor to manually adjust your cervical spine can assist in the improvement to the range of motion and pain reduction

In more severe case, and as final option, there are surgeries that repair the damage from Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease.

The healing time after surgery will be much longer. Most people who choose the surgical option take anywhere from 30 months to a year to fully recover.

Nicotine and Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease

While the correlation between smoking and certain health issues is well known, one might not be aware of how or why smoking would affect your neck health.

The use of nicotine negatively affects almost all tissue within the human body. What has been well established through years of research is direct affect of nicotine use on the intervertebral discs.

There has been evidence to suggest nicotine being one of the causes of cell damage, occurring in the annulus and nucleus.

In addition to the direct damage smoking can cause, the use of nicotine can increase pain sensitivity in some people.

Ways to Stay Healthy

Whether you are trying to avoid undue damage to your discs, or working on recovery, there are several steps you can take to help ensure healthier cervical discs.

• Regular Exercise
• Eat a Balanced Diet
• Practice Good Posture (neck straight & back supported)
• No Smoking

While the majority cases of Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease are due to age, many lifestyle practices can be a factor.

Making sure you keep your spine as healthy as possible is always important. And while the pain from Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease can always return, you lower the chances by staying healthy and making good lifestyle choices.

For most sufferers it has been found that the non-surgical treatments are quite effective in relieving the pain from Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease.

And unlike other age induced health issues, neck pain may come and go. In the majority of adults, it is not a constant problem. It is unlikely that it will last forever.

Education is a key factor in both avoiding and caring for Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease. Your doctor can help you better understand this condition, which can aid in helping you eliminate certain risk factors. Practicing a spine healthy lifestyle is the first step living more pain free.

Suddenly lifestyle changes need to be made and more effort needs to be put into staying healthy.

Keeping symptoms at their minimum is a hassle, and some people may go to the internet for quick fixes.

If you have degenerative disc disease, you may be told to exercise: BE CAREFUL. Some exercises are bad to do when you have this condition, as they increase damage done to the spine, so be aware of them and ensure you stay away.

In this article you will find out what exercises you should and should not do to keep yourself feeling okay.

First, I will explain what the condition is and what exactly a degenerative disc is, in case you are unsure.

Learning more about the condition could definitely help ease anxiety and any fear that you may have.

Also, it is a plus being able to learn what the symptoms are and how to help ease the pain.

What Exactly Is a Degenerative Disc?

If you are unsure of the definition of degenerative, or want clarification, then I will provide that.

Degenerative (adjective) refers to the deterioration and loss of use in organs and tissues.

This deterioration continues at varied paces and can be, though not always, irreversible.

The disc mentioned in the title refers to one of the many spinal discs we have in our bodies.

What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?

With that in mind, it can be assumed that degenerative disc disease refers to a disease that involves a spinal disc rapidly deteriorating and causing ongoing pain.

That is mostly true. See, degenerative disc disease is not always considered a disease, and can sound a lot scarier than it is.

The disc can deteriorate at a consistent, not rapid, speed, and the pain caused by it can actually get better throughout the years.

The symptoms do not speed up and do not get worse, as the word degenerative in the name may make you think, and can improve over time.

The deteriorating of the spinal discs actually occurs naturally as you age. Not every person will have symptoms and their discs can deteriorate at a slower rate than others.

Having degenerative disc disease just refers to the symptoms that some may face as their discs deteriorate faster and more noticeably.

You can actually find tables and graphs that show the possible deterioration patterns of discs during degenerative disc disease.

Images and videos can also be found providing information on the symptoms and physical aspects of the disease.

Diagnosing The Disease

As mentioned earlier, the spinal discs we have naturally start to break down. It is nearly impossible to stop, but that does not mean that every person will be diagnosed with degenerative disc disease.

The reason why is that not every person will have their discs deteriorate at a fast pace, nor will everyone feel the pain and other symptoms that go with the disease.

If you do have increased back pain that has been going on for a fairly long time, then it would make sense to ask the doctor to ensure that everything is okay.

Believing you have the condition based on the sole fact of having back pain would be silly.

Back pain comes and goes depending on so many factors, such as exercising or sitting in an uncomfortable position.

Having back pain does not automatically mean you have the condition. That is why getting a doctor to look at it would be the smart decision.

Sadly, not all doctors or health practitioners believe in the same diagnosis for degenerative disc disease.

It is a condition that is hard to give a definition to due to the closeness of its symptoms to other issues.

Some doctors may diagnose you while others may not, depending on what they feel is correct based on what they studied.

So, getting second opinions could either confuse you or help you better understand your back pain

Symptoms

• Consistent pain in your neck as well as lower back. The pain varies based on the person and could be severe or moderate. Exercising and other aspects could also irritate the condition and cause increased back pain.
• Chronic episodes of SEVERE pain.
• Inability to move or sit a certain way; spinal pain caused by certain movements or actions. If bending your spine, sitting down, or slouching cause the back pain you already have to become worse than it could be due to the disc being damaged.

Exercises to AVOID and Why

Any Sort of Contact Sport

Sports involve physical exertion and often times involve exercising. This can of course be dangerous due to the weakness of the spinal discs.

Muscle tissue and deterioration can make it easier to break, so contact sports should be avoided at all costs until your doctor agrees you can play.

Some contact sports include football, rugby, and sometimes soccer and basketball. Hitting other players and being pushed down could hurt your back.

I would also avoid volleyball as it involves being in a position that causes stress on your spine. The movements can be worse for the spinal disc that is damaged.

Sit-Ups and Crunches

This one may seem obvious, since it involves putting pressure on your core and, effectively, your spinal cord.

Sit-ups and crunches involve laying on the ground and using your core to pull your torso up. This puts stress on your spine, as it is bent and pulled.

Golfing

Golfing may seem out of place on this list at first, but just think about it. Golfing involves incredulous amounts of standing, slouching, and walking.

It may be a slow sport, but spending so much time slouched over the club could seriously hurt your spinal cord.

The putting would have your spinal discs, including the one that are deteriorating, to rub against one another.

The muscle tissue could be damaged from the condition which would increase damage to the disc.

Weight Lifting and Exercises Associated with It

Weight lifting, like the others on this list, involve bending your spine repeatedly.

As mentioned, your muscle tissue could be damaged from the degenerative disc disease, so any increased rubbing could damage the disc and possibly break it.

Bench pressing could also fall under this category, as it causes the same sort of stress to the lower back.

Exercises That Can HELP

Exercises that stretch the legs and back can help, since they do not put too much stress on the spine while still giving your body the well needed stretching.

Stretching and exercising increases the blood flow and increase muscle mass, which can help slow the deterioration of the discs by helping protect them.

Lunges

Lunges involve stretching your calves and thighs by stepping forward on one leg.

Keeping the back straight is important to the exercise so you do not have to worry about hurting it or bending it.

Ensure that you stretch before you begin lunging, as it could pull your muscles and that is one less thing you want to have to worry about. The extra pain would not be fun.

Hamstring Exercises

The hamstring, part of the leg, is another body part that can be focused on to exercise while protecting the spinal cord.

Laying on your back and stretching your leg up as straight as you can go is an easy one to do.

Looking for other hamstring exercises on the internet could help, as there are a lot out there.

Any exercises that involve you twisting your spine, and hips as they affect your spine, should also be avoided.

Twisting your spine and hips could, as mentioned many times above, cause increased damage or breaking to the affected spinal disc or discs.

Try not to over stretch your spine by twisting during stretching or exercises.

To Sum It All Up

As this article was long and provided some intensive information about Degenerative Disc Disease, I will shortly sum up the important points.

I would still recommend looking for more information if you are newly diagnosed though, since it is better to know as much as possible so you can help your body.

Firstly, diagnosis cannot be done by yourself and seeing a doctor is very important. The condition is still being researched, so it can be hard to get a concise diagnosis, but it is still better.

Secondly, some exercises and stretches are more damaging to the body, so be careful what you do.

Twisting, bending, and overworking your back can cause an increase in damage since the disc and muscle tissue surrounding it are already weakened. Contact sports should also be avoided.

Thirdly, some exercises CAN help, and it is recommended to still keep your body moving.

Increasing blood flow, as well as certain hormones, can help protect and heal the damaged tissues. STAY ACTIVE.

It is important that a person should take care of the spinal region without any damage. It is one of the important parts of the body that bares the body weight and helps in mobility.

Degenerative Disc Disease can increase in a person due to various factors and also commonly due to aging process.

If an individual is exposed to the following there is a high possibility that they can get degenerative disc diseases.

• High amount of labour work
• Injury in the spinal region
• Obesity
• Smoking and lung diseases
• Decrease in oxygen availability

For people who have problems with degenerative disk diseases, pain is one of the most widely seen symptom.

From various studies, it is identified that Cannabidiol (CBD) can be very effective in providing relief from the pain as an effect of spinal problems.

Apart from the usage of CBD for intervertebral disc degeneration, there are also other medical benefits associated with the usage of Cannabidiol.

Details on Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/Degenerative Disc Disease

Fibrous cartilage is present in each vertebra, the segments of bone present in the spine of an individual. Between each vertebra in an individual, lies the intervertebral discs that consists of fibrous cartilage.

Vertebra is helpful in mobility of every individual. Not just mobility it also helps in stabilizing the spine.

They are responsible for absorbing shock that comes out of injury or normal movement. By absorbing the shock, they prevent the body from being damaged.

There can be several complications if there is a damage and degenerate in intervertebral discs.

The mobility and stability of spine will be severely affected causing problems like spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis and herniation.

Pain is quite common with these symptoms with other complications like tingling feeling and numbness. There can also be movement disorders affecting the person with this condition.

If the spine region is taken good care, it can help in providing a good support throughout the life. For a person to have active and healthy life, spinal stability is very important.

There are also some kind of exercises available that can be very helpful in improving spinal stability and mobility.

Along with that people who are affected due to degenerative disc disease can go for treatments with Cannabidiol which is proved to be very effective against pain.

There are also further research works going on to understand the significance of CBD for degenerative disc diseases.

CBD is not just for Degenerative Disc Disease in humans

Some of the treatments doesn’t stop with just humans. CBD also helps other animals like dogs.

There was a recent breakthrough that has proved that CBD can be very helpful in treating dogs with degenerative disc disease.

For the pets who are diagnosed with degenerative disc disease can use CBD to get a natural remedy instead of going to other drugs that create further complications and side effects.

Some of the below synthetic options are used currently to treat dogs with such conditions:

• Rimadyl – This has proved to create liver damages on regular usage.
• Tramodol – There are some side effects associated with the usage of this compound that includes constipation issues, frequent vomiting and dizziness.

People who are concerned about natural medication to treat health problems find CBD to be very effective and free from side effects.

Though further research work is required before declaring that CBD has no side effects, we can however say that it is far better than other compounds that create unwanted side effects that are evident.

CBD helps in improving mental health conditions

There are people who find difficulty in mobility due to degenerative disc disease. Due to these problems the other symptoms like anxiety and stress issues also emerge.

The extracts of CBD also contains properties that act as anti-depressants. In order to understand the property of CBD, a research was conducted and the compound was tested on mice.

It was also identified that CBD was capable of reducing the negative results of THC doses that can however contribute to memory loss.

When people get a relief from the pain after using Cannabinol for degenerative disc disease, they also gain strength to do their day tod ay activities without any hesitation.

Due to these problems people even find socialising as a burden. This type of sensation is very common in all individuals who have chronic conditions. Some people will even feel like staying in the bed completely.

For neurological problems there are many natural supplements available that can provide the necessary treatment.

One such natural supplement is CBD. It is available in various forms that can be used.

People should consult their doctor first to understand about their health problem and then check if CBD will be a good solution for them or not.

It may not necessarily be a short term solution. If it is going to take a lot of time to show some effect in the patients, the individuals should have good patience.

CBD oil used in massage

Apart from the other significance of CBD in degenerative disk disease, the supplements from CBD is also used to treat various problems. In many places CBD oil is used during massage to provide good results.

People believe that any chronic condition can be treated with the help of natural therapies and methods.

These natural methods may not be easily working on everyone but for some people after a regular usage natural methods can provide good results.

Some people try out different methods to overcome their chronic condition. This may not be a cure for them but it will provide them a temporary or reasonable relief to them.

In massage therapy natural oils and plant extracts are used widely to get a relief. These massages can be done every day but a massage practitioner or an expert.

Using CBD oil for massage may not be very easy for everyone. It can be helpful in preventing degenerative disc disease and also provide a relief to people who already have disc related problems and other chronic conditions.

Reference:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028390815302136#Cannabidiol%20induces%20rapid-acting%20antidepressant-like%20effects

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4269422/

What is Degenerative Disc Disease?

Rheumatology related illnesses and disorders are on the rise because of changes in lifestyles brought about a new globalized world, which has technology at its heart.

This has increased people with sedentary lifestyles and has made many prone to spending hours glued to screens whether they be of laptops, smartphones or tablets.

Contrary to popular belief, sitting down is a position that puts tremendous stress on the back and as vocationally less people are involved in manual labor the number people who risk hurting their backs rises.

Degenerative Disc Disease is a condition that is far more common than people know. It has a close relationship with other musculoskeletal conditions such as arthritis and osteoarthritis.

The term Degenerative Disc Disease is actually a misnomer, as it is not actually a disease and it is not degenerative in the usual sense of the word.

It can more accurately be called a disease related to aging. Over a period of time the stresses that accumulate on the spine and back start to manifest themselves, while for some it may produce no problems, for others there be sharp and chronic pain, particularly in their spinal discs.

The term for the disease does not describe the symptoms but explains the process of discs worsening over as a person advances in age. It is not necessary that the pain worsens over a length of time, rather the pain can be alleviated given enough time and rest.

Degenerative Disc Disease is not a disease, but a degenerative condition resulting from pain produced by a damaged disc.

While in theory degenerative disc disease can affect any part of the spine, it is most frequently experienced in the lower back and the neck.

Disc degeneration in itself does not produce any symptoms but the degeneration brings about circumstances inflammations and movements which manifest as painful symptoms.

The Human Vertebrae

The human backbone, also known as the vertebral column or spine is one of the most important parts of out skeletal composition.

The vertebral column is normally composed of thirty-three vertebrae. The upper twenty-four are flexible and divided from each other through the intervertebral discs, while the lower nine are fixed.

The intervertebral discs, also called spinal discs, have different compositions on their outside and inside.

The outer part is tough and fibrous while the inner core is soft and gelatinous in nature. Spinal discs have important physiological functions.

They are essential in maintaining the flexibility and elasticity of the spine, and therefore are the reason that we can bend our backs and then return them to the upright position.

Besides the articulation of the spine, the discs serve as important shock absorbing centers of the spine.

They distribute the pressure and bear the brunt of the stress when the spine moves or bears some sort of weight.

The Makings of the Condition

The intervertebral discs are at the epicenter of Degenerative Disc Disease. As a person ages the vertebral disc’s internal gelatinous core, which is approximately 90% water, starts to lose its water content and consequently start to slightly shrink.

This decrease in the lateral size has a direct impact on its shock absorbing abilities. Upon losing its original consistency the depleted padding becomes a less efficient stress absorber.

Moreover, due to the collapse in its height the vertebrae come in closer contact with each other. When a load is lifted, the stress impact that was once cushioned does not have as effectively and the discs hit each other.

In the absence of the discs holding the vertebrae apart from each other, their rubbing and collisions can produce another problematic symptom in the form of bone spurs.

Bone spurs are abnormal bone growth which can hit the nerves or their roots and aggravate the symptoms experienced by developing conditions such as sciatica.

The friction and the impact from the collision result in pain, which can be of varying degrees.

The body responds in a variety of ways which may worsen the condition by mechanisms such as the bulging of the vertebrae.

When this pain is chronic and situated primarily in the lower back, then it has the markings of degenerative disc disease.

The outer tougher part of the intervertebral disc called the annulus can experience tears. The gel like material can then escape through the tear in the wall and reach the nerve outside.

The gel-like material is rich in inflammatory protein which irritate the nerves and cause them pain.

Small movements by the discs can also cause pain when they start travelling the vertebral segment. With the passage of time the proteins become used up and the dry disc starts becoming stiffer with limited micro-motion.

These changes alleviate the strong pain that persisted in the region. Wear and tear and a history of poor posture can have a detrimental effect on spinal health.

This degeneration occurs in everyone, but becomes aggravated in certain individuals who are predisposed to developing back problems, or those whose vocation puts them at a progressive risk.

The Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease

The trajectory of the pain experienced by patients can be described as: a significant injury with subsequent sudden and unexpected pain, a minor injury with subsequent and sudden back pain and a pain that starts gradually but exponentially becomes worse over time.

The areas most affected by Degenerative Disc Disease are the lower back and the neck. The lower back area is called the lumbar region and the neck area is called the cervical region.

Pain centered in these regions is called Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease and Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease. The spread of the disease is not limited to the initial locations of pain, rather it affects the surrounding regions too.

The response to varying degrees of degeneration is mixed among the population. The pain may also radiate to other regions of the body such as the hips, buttocks and thighs.

These symptoms are experienced while conducting every day activities such as walking. Other limbs may also suffer, with the knees and fingers being at the forefront.

Pain will also afflict in stationary positions such as sitting and in more exertive positions of bending, twisting and lifting.

The stationary sitting position belies, the amount of weight that it puts on the spine. Numbness and tingling sensations are also associated with Degenerative Disc Disease and are largely felt in the fingers and knees.

The sufferer may feel weak and apparently have limited strength in these areas. The onset of the disease maybe become noticeable after either a major injury or after normal body flexing.

A look inside the anatomy can provide valuable insight into the mechanism of this condition.

The subsequent response to an injury, may cause certain areas of the vertebrae to become inflamed.

Inflammation may cause pain because of the proximity to nerves and the pain in this case would be infrequent and erratic or in other cases recurring.

In some people their biological make up puts them at greater risk of pain. For example, in some skeletal formations nerve ending enter the tough outer fibrous part of the discs more deeply.

As the nerve endings are deeply embedded, the person is more susceptible to the shooting pain which will result from the aging of the discs.

The predominance of the degenerative condition in the lower back, the lumbar region, results from a compromised lower vertebrae.

The cause of the onset may be influenced by a multitude of factors or from a single traumatic trigger. As the intervertebral discs are not furnished with their own supply of blood, they cannot repair themselves like other tissues in the body.

So, even minor injuries which may have been easily repaired by a supply of decent blood vessels may snowball into something devastating and debilitating.

Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease may arise from one or both of the possible sources:

Inflammation: proteins from the depleting disc are released and end up irritating the nerves present in that area, the result of which is inflammation.

Abnormal micro-motion instability: the outer portion of the disc is in the form of annular rings. As this fibrous layer is worn out with time, it becomes ineffective as a stress absorber and starts to move along the vertebral axis instead of cushioning the stress.

However, contrary to its name, as time passes the pain largely subsides due to the anomalous response of the body.

The reason for this is when a disc becomes completely degenerated it stops producing secretions which would irritate the nerves and cause inflammation and the depleted disc eventually falls back into a stable position which rids the body of the pain that was caused by small movements along the vertebral segment.

The pain linked to lumbar affliction of Degenerative Disc Disease is of a low threshold that continues, but remains tolerable.

Although there remains an off chance that will sometimes shoot up and become unbearable. The pain mostly occurs as a back breaking ache in the small of the back and not a pain that has the quality of burning.

The pain is worse in the sitting position because of the increased load on the spine in this position and contracting movements involving flex further increase the pain.

On occasion if the disc collapses and compresses the nerve root, it may cause the nerve to become pinched and can seriously impact the legs. Although the pain is transitive, it rarely goes below the knees.

Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease

The other area predominantly affected is the cervical region. Although it is the primary cause of pain in the neck, usually experienced by a stiff neck, the occurrence in this area is far less common than in the lumbar region.

The reason attributed to this is that the neck is generally subjected to far less stress and pressure than the back.

The distribution of pain occurring in the cervical region spreads, similar to pain originating in the lumbar region, to areas below the neck such as the arms and shoulders.

The main cause of this pain is also similar that it is, the nerves in these areas become, irritated by protein secretions or pinched under the pressure of the collapsing disc.

Unfortunately, it can also set certain other progressive conditions in motion such as cervical stenosis and disc herniation.

Degenerative Disc Disease Diagnosis

The disease is diagnosed with physical examination accompanied by recording extensive medical history.

The patient will mention all the symptoms felt in detail and any injuries or illnesses that may have expedited the onset.

Lifestyle habits may also be questioned in the effort to determine the root cause. Bad posture and manual labor which puts frequent stress on the back can, over time, progress into Degenerative Disc Disease.

In the physical examination special attention will be paid to the lower back and the neck.

The purpose of the exam is to map out the areas afflicted with the condition and determine the degree of deterioration by checking the extent of movement that has been impaired.

The doctor will also be on the lookout for any visible nerve damage, which presents itself in the form of numbness, tingling and loss of strength in the affected areas.

A patient could also be examined for other conditions that may have overlapping symptoms such as tumors, infection and fractures.

Physicians and surgeons would then conduct neurological exams. Testing reflexes, the curvature of ones spine fall inside this category.

The doctor will proceed by asking questions and moving on to the problem areas based on responses to questions and pain.

If the physical examination reveals no accurate indicators the next step is to move towards medical imaging.

These provide descriptive visual insights into the internal happenings of the body. Scans like computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-Rays provide the requisite medical imaging for a clearer picture of what is going on in the area.

X-rays are able to illustrate fractures and stenosis, to be thorough doctors may order shots from different orientations to gather a three dimensional idea of the spinal area.

The X-rays used for degenerative disc disease detection differ from the ones normally ordered, they capture images of the spine in both flexion and extension.

These flexion and extension X-rays gauge the integrity of the spine when subjected to everyday stress.The former are particularly useful as they enable doctors to spot the anomalies on the bones.

CT scans in particular are able to show whether a portion on the vertebrae is pressing on a nerve or not.

If it is likely that a nerve has been affected then the next test ordered is the electromyography (EMG), which measures nervous response reaction rate in the background of various stimuli.

The diagnosis takes time becomes of the common symptoms found in other illnesses and the multitudes of disorders triggered by degenerative disc disease.

A doctor may be able to assess that a herniated disc is present, but detecting whether it was caused by a degenerative disc or not, is tricky and complex.

Novel diagnostic methods like the bone scan involve injecting small pieces of radioactive material into the bloodstream which traverses the body and eventually winds up in the bones. A machine scanner can then detect signs of the abnormality in the bones.

For some cases a doctor may order blood tests to rule out the possibility of other diseases that can be detected by the presence of some markers in the blood. Examples of diseases diagnosed in this manner include rheumatoid arthritis.

Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment

The treatment plan for degenerative disc disease is largely similar for both the lumbar and cervical region. The treatments involve passive and active strategies.

Passive treatment or strategy is received or done to the patient in order to alleviate his or her symptoms.

Active treatment are methods advised to the patient, who has to carry them out in order to regain his or wellbeing.

Mostly a combination of the active and passive treatment is prescribed to patients as the success rate and speed of alleviation is high in this way. Medical history of various patients suggests that one treatment method done on its own is rarely effective.

Surgery is the oft avoided path and is used in only extreme cases where no relief from traditional conservative methods can be accorded to the patient.

The goal of the procedure is to halt any painful micro movement and decompress the spread out spinal nerve. Spinal fusion is the go to method in which the bony vertebra/e are permanently fused together to provide stability to the spine.

This procedure is mostly performed in the lumbar or cervical regions because they provide the most degree of movement.

Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy is the other commonly used invasive procedure. It utilizes a catheter which directly heats the spinal discs to shrink out the tears in the annulus, the tough fibrous part of the disc. It also conditions the nerves to be able to overcome the discogenic pain.

Passive Treatments

Passive treatments use pain killers, medical narcotics and muscle relaxants to assuage the pain of the patient. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages and the type of medication subscribed will depend on the type of pain and other factors.

Chiropractors play a vital part in the treatment of spinal related disorders. Chiropractic techniques such as spinal adjustment and manipulation are known to provide relief from the apparently chronic pain of degenerative disc disease.

The focus on reducing tension in the muscles, reducing pressure on some sensitive nerves and treatments aimed at inducing the body to release natural painkillers called endorphins.

A patient can also consider ultrasound treatment which warms the tender area and tries to heal the area by regulating blood flow. Therapeutic massages are also commonly resorted to and have goals similar to the chiropractic methodology.

Epidural injections are also regularly employed to treat the pain. They deliver a dosage of steroids which reduces the inflammation in the pain prone region.

Active Treatment

Exercise on part of the patient is an effective therapeutic technique that increases blood flow to pinched areas. Once a healthy blood flow is replenished to sensitive areas, patients will feel noticeable change in their pain status.

Giving up smoking is a sacrifice one has to make in order to save oneself from a myriad of diseases, degenerative disc disease being one of them.

Cigarettes contain tar and nicotine along with many other toxins that put the body at the risk of many diseases as well as adulterating the blood stream which reduces is oxygen carrying capacity and disturbing the composition of its plasma.

This can be harmful to the body in the long run as it also suppresses the body’s ability to cope with different debilitations.

Weight loss is a no brainer. The heavier you are the more pressure you put on your skeletal structure.

If the heavy weight is accompanied by a sedentary lifestyle which shirks from all forms of exercise then the problem is compounded and the risk of developing DDD early one increases significantly.

Ergonomics is the future of a sustainable workplace and home. You would be surprised to know that many office related injuries have nothing to do with heavy lifting or lots of manual labor, but with bad postures and repetitive work done in that posture.

Posture plays a central role in the spread of most musculoskeletal diseases. The correct practice could help prevent this problem and help reduce this problem.

Employers should be urged to supply their employees with comfortable arrangements to extract maximum productivity out of their employees.

Such an arrangement will benefit both parties, and will keep the employees productive over a long period of time by making them less prone to injury.

When one thinks about back pain treatment and the spine, the word surgery immediately comes to mind.

Surgery, however is not a very viable option in most mild cases because spinal surgery is incredibly risky and complicated.

Therefore, it is for the best to avoid and invasive methodology, for fear that things may go awry and spawn other problems.

It is best to wait out the pain by management and rehabilitation techniques because as age increases the degree of movement and hence pain decreases as the disc becomes stiffer.

Any treatment or therapeutic method aims at making the pain manageable so that the patient can engage in physiotherapy that can improve posture and advise lifestyle changes.

With the correct treatment program, an individual can gain enough mobility to carry out ordinary functioning at home and work.

Physical therapy and exercise are very important roads to recovery. The challenge, however lies in making the pain manageable enough to engage in these exercises. Exercises aim at reviving a continuous blood flow through the tender regions and helping the body gain back its lost mobility.

Alternative medicine or holistic therapy has been making inroads for a long time coming. Many people report relief brought about by alternative medicines and these trends have spiked with the embrace of the new age culture.

Acupuncture, biofeedback and herbal remedies are some popular treatments sought by back ache patients. These treatments may provide useful coping mechanisms and improve overall health.

However, it is important to consult the doctor before taking any alternative treatment up, as it may interfere with other ongoing treatments.

Degenerative Disc Disease Prevention

It is sad that unfortunately doctors do not know the exact cause of degenerative disc disease. While it is speculated that age, injury and other conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis play a big role in it.

Lifestyle changes can have the most marked impact in reducing your susceptibility to degenerative disc disease.

Changes in behavior will not go to waste and the reward will come in the form of heightened wellbeing and increased coping mechanisms.

One should be mindful of what one eats, is a maxim that fitness buffs love to live by and rightly so. Our diet is the direct source of our building material.

With the diet we maintain our body and keep on providing essential nutrients that aid the repair and building processes of the body.

A diet rich in leafy greens, whole grain, nuts and healthy dairy are valuable for spinal health.

Whereas foods rich in fat contain plenty of toxins that can be detrimental to our health. Alcohol and tobacco are also poison when it comes to maintaining spinal health, as they produce undesirable consequences within the body.

The human body is composed primarily of water and so it is no wonder that it requires plenty of it to maintain itself and grow.

The underlying cause of degenerative disc disease is the loss of water in the intervertebral discs. By staying hydrated all the time an individual could replenish the essential water lost and can help the disc to stay strong.

Having a habit of drinking lots of water is also known to aid in the regulation of weight, as it reduces the need to unnecessarily snack when one is not really hungry.

Weight loss has a direct correlation with spinal health. The lesser a person weighs, the less pressure on his spine and skeleton as a whole to maintain mobility.

Muscles are the most essential tissues which are responsible for the motor motions of the body. They help the body bear the brunt of strenuous impact by bearing it and supporting the skeletal structure.

Muscles also require maintenance and nourishment to grow further. The best way to sustain muscles and grow more is by exercising regularly.

Regular exercise not only builds muscles but makes them more resilient to injury and sudden impact.

Another beneficial by product is improved blood flow. A powerful and unimpeded blood is most desirable as blood carries with it numerous beneficial nutrients that can repair damaged cells and tissues.

Changing habits can be difficult, especially the ones that have been with you for as long as you can remember.

Your posture is something that you carry into adulthood from your young age.The posture is your gait when walking and sitting, it determines the amount of stress that your spine induces when carrying out mundane everyday activities.

A proper posture becomes all the more important when the job description involves work that puts pressure on the spine or involves tasks of a repetitive or cyclic nature. In such cases the use of ergonomically sound furniture and devices can knock off the years off your spine.

The very foundation of ergonomics is the design of equipment and devices that prevents musculoskeletal disorders.

However, despite all the precautions that one takes certain factors the likes of which include genetic predisposition and nature of vocation put a person at risk of developing the disease earlier than it is expected.

Moreover, degenerative disc disease is related to aging, and as the body ages it will, regardless of the lifestyle, still not retain its original consistency forever, but it will make any discomfort more manageable and surmountable.

Degenerative Disc Disease and Sciatica

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is a medical condition characterized by pain radiating from the leg to the lower back. The pain may further go beyond the back side and can often travel to the front of the leg.

The symptoms are often present only on one side of the body but incidence of the pain spreading to the other side has also been documented.

Pain in the small of the back is sometimes present along with a certain numbness in the lower limbs.

As with degenerative disc disease the pain is most oft worse will sitting, because of the increased pressure on the nerve in that position.

The sensation of sciatic pain is that of a burning or searing sensation. The frequency can be regular to infrequent. The incidence of the condition increases in middle age.

Causes of Sciatica

Herniated Disc

Most of the time sciatica is caused by herniated spinal disc pressing on the lumbar or sciatic nerve. This bulged out disc then irritates the surrounding nerve and produces the sensation of pain.

Degenerative Disc Disease is also one of the causes of sciatica. When the motion caused by a weakened disc irritate the nerve by releasing inflammatory proteins, sciatic pain can ensue.

Due to the loss of water content, the exterior of intervertebral discs become more likely to rupture, and once they rupture, the bulge pressing against the sciatic nerve causes sciatica.

Bone Spur and Tumor

An overgrowth of bone spurs that press or irritate a nerve root may also cause sciatica as can nerves damaged by tumors that press against them.

Spinal Stenosis

As a person ages there lies a likelihood that his spine narrows down as it travels downwards. This mostly happens when ligaments become overgrown and tighten their hold.

This coupled with spurs from bones and slipped discs can also contribute. The sciatic nerve may get affected and the symptoms will be concentrated in the lower back and limbs.

Spondylolisthesis

Is the slipping of the vertebrae out of its position and if that vertebra is pressing against the sciatic nerve then it may cause sciatica.

Pregnancy

Sciatica may also be caused by pregnancy when the fetus presses against the sciatic nerve and cause sciatica with milder symptoms.

The condition does not cause any long term damage and often corrects itself. There is no known cure for the treatment of this type of sciatica.

Piriformis Syndrome

This cause of sciatica is extremely rare. The sciatic nerve passes through the piriformis muscle, if the muscle tightens or spasms due to a blow or overuse, it may compress the sciatic nerve and cause sciatica.

Diagnosis of Sciatica

The standard method for diagnosing sciatica is by a physical examination. The person will report the shooting and radiating pain which indicates that the nerve root is under some kind of stress.

There is also a diagnostic test that is associated with sciatica which consists of straightening the legs and raising them to produce the Lasegue’s sign.

The person is considered positive for the condition if pain is reproduced between 30 to 70 degrees of passive flexion of the raised leg.

Imaging tests such as the CT and MRI can also show herniation and slipped discs which can then be used in conjunction with the diagnostic test to ascertain the problem and suggest the best course of treatment.

Treatment of Sciatica

Like related conditions, the preferred course of action in sciatica is non-invasive controlled exercises and over the counter medication to manage the pain. Surgery is the last resort for people who do not respond to other methods.

Is Degenerative Disc Disease and Arthritis Same?

Arthritis is a disorder of the joints that causes inflammation in one or multiple joints.

It refers to different forms of joint pain and joint diseases of which there are more than over a hundred types.

As a musculoskeletal disorder its prevalence has increased markedly over the previous few years.

Joint pain is the conspicuous feature of this disease and this accompanied by swelling in the joints and persistent stiffness.

The pain is mostly caused by the inflammation around a joint which deteriorates if not cared for in a proper manner.

The disease will continue damaging the joint. This along with the routine wear and tear and forced muscle stresses on the stiff joints can worsen the condition.

Treatment of Arthritis

Unfortunately there is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Treatment includes medication for pain management which is brought out by reducing the inflammation in the joint, changes in one’s lifestyle and using a brace.

The similarity between degenerative disc disease and arthritis is uncanny. Both disorders are associated with aging and musculoskeletal pain. They have a spectrum of symptoms many of which greatly overlap.

The condition known as osteoarthritis, which is the arthritis of the spine, describes the pain, inflammation and swelling of joints near the vertebrae, which are called facet joints.

When someone is affected by arthritis the cartilage between these facet joints breaks down. This can open the doors for spurs, stenosis and stiffness.

The reason for this close association between these disorders is attributed to the fact that the facet joints and intervertebral discs are part of the same three-joint arrangement.

There is a high likelihood that the degenerating discs put increased pressure on the facet joints eventually aiding the formation of osteoarthritis.

This appears to be why these conditions often occur in tandem. If both these conditions occur in the same person then the disease is known as spondylosis. Nonetheless, it is entirely possible for each condition to occur entirely independently of the other.

Common Symptoms between Degenerative Disc Disease and Arthritis

The common symptoms between degenerative disc disease and arthritis have a great degree of overlap as they are related conditions.

These include sciatica, neck and back pain, muscle weakness and stiffness, radiating pain, tingling or numbness in limbs and extremities

Conclusion

Degenerative Disc Disease is a debilitating illness that puts mobility, something we take for granted in jeopardy.

Healthy choices at a young age can help delay the onset of this illness and help us cope with it, if it befalls us.

The condition affects young adults and people nearing middle age. While a sedentary lifestyle may put people at risk, so would an overly active lifestyle with little rest.

Other indicators of good health may not affect the occurrence of the condition but do help in recovery. Clinical studies have demonstrated that people who smoke are at a greater risk of developing this condition than are non-smokers.

The same is also true for people with occupations that put a lot of stress on the spine or encourage the conducting of work in a bad posture.

Another unfortunate fact is that people who have the condition will most likely have family members who have the propensity to suffer from the same illness. Hence a hereditary factor is also at play here.

References:

• Goffin, Jan, et al. “Intermediate follow-up after treatment of degenerative disc disease with the Bryan Cervical Disc Prosthesis: single-level and bi-level.”Spine 24 (2003): 2673-2678.
• Zigler, Jack, et al. “Results of the prospective, randomized, multicenter food and drug administration investigational device exemption study of the ProDisc®-L total disc replacement versus circumferential fusion for the treatment of 1-level degenerative disc disease.”Spine 11 (2007): 1155-1162.
• Toyone, T., M. MURAKAMI YAMAGATA, and H. MORIYA. “DEGENERATIVE LUMBAR DISC DISEASE.” (1994).
• Kumar, Malhar N., Frederic Jacquot, and Hamilton Hall. “Long-term follow-up of functional outcomes and radiographic changes at adjacent levels following lumbar spine fusion for degenerative disc disease.”European Spine Journal4 (2001): 309-313.
• Boden, Scott D., et al. “Orientation of the Lumbar Facet Joints: Association with Degenerative Disc Disease*.”J Bone Joint Surg Am 3 (1996): 403-11.