16 Feb Reality of Degenerative Disc Disease
Most adults have some degree of degenerative disc disease, a common condition that can lead to severe pain. At Integrated Pain Consultants, we specialize in pain management while putting conservative methods first. Back pain is the most common reason a person seeks out pain specialists, and degenerative disc disease is one of the most common causes.
Specifically, lumbar degenerative disc disease (lower back pain) is what brings a lot of patients to pain specialists. The lumbar spinal discs are spongy tissue between the discs of the lower back designed to be “shock absorbers.” They also help the joints to move easier. However, almost nobody has a “perfect back” with ideal alignment and curves. Poor posture, gravity, excess weight, athletics, and simply age can worsen the alignment of the spine. The discs in the back will “degenerate” as we age or with a trauma, which can cause back pain since the shock absorbers can no longer work at full capacity.
A Pain in the Back
Another common type of back pain is lumbar radicular pain. Also called sciatica, the pain shoots from the lower back down the leg. There’s also lumbar spinal stenosis, which happens when the spinal canal narrows due to growth in the tissue or bones. This can irritate the nerves.
A variety of pain management options are available for degenerative disc disease, and they often work best when paired with lifestyle changes and/or physical therapy. Marrying yoga with epidural steroid injections, medial branch block injections, radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation, or medication management can offer a customized solution that helps make back pain tolerable.
Arthritis in the back can be caused by age, genetics, excess weight, certain jobs, or athletics and can exacerbate lower back pain. Degenerative disc disease can also be coupled with a bulging disc, which occurs when a disc is swollen and bulges out of its normal place.
Buldging Disc Pain Relief – Talk with Integrated Pain Consultants
Back pain is common, but living with it doesn’t have to be normal for you. If you want better, faster, and safer treatment for degenerative disc disease, call Integrated Pain Consultants at 480-626-2552. 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.