06 Oct Degenerative Disc Disease – What Can Be Done?
Degenerative disc disease refers to the pain, the weakness, or the numbness that occurs from a deteriorated disc in the spine, more than often due to aging. If you have been experiencing back pain along with numbness or a prickly sensation, you may be suffering from this condition.
Mostly for aging individuals, disc degeneration is one of the most common causes of lower back pain. However, many times it is frequently misunderstood. 30% of people aged 30-50 years old will have some degeneration occur in their spine. When they hit the age of 60, most people will experience some back.
For most people, the common understanding is that a degenerative disc and the pain associated with it would get worse. The fact is that more often than not, the pain does not worsen over time. We should reiterate that disc degeneration is part of the aging process. However, many people have changes in their spinal discs and experience no symptoms or pain at all. For others, the damaged disc can lead to extreme pain that affects their overall quality of life.
Possible Treatments For Degenerative Discs
Many degenerative disc disease treatments are available, depending on the severity of your pain. The most common treatments include:
- Degenerative disc disease exercises and stretches
- Medication
- Hot and cold therapy
- Acupuncture
- Physical therapy
- Chiropractic care
- Epidural steroid injections
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Medial branch block / Facet injection
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Medication management
- Surgery, in extreme cases
The highly trained pain specialists at Integrated Pain Consultants can discover if, in fact, you are suffering from degenerative disc disease. An MRI may be helpful to be certain of the diagnosis. Call Integrated Pain Consultants at (480) 626-2552 to set up your consultation. You will be impressed with the high quality of care and the overall results you will see. We also invite you to learn more about Dr. Nikesh Seth and other providers including Dr. Anne-Marie Cosijns, Dr. Lisa Sparks, Dr. Michael Givens, and our team of Nurse Practitioners.