Degenerative disc disease (DDD), also known as degenerative disc disease, arthrosis, or osteoarthrosis of the spine, is a painful but common condition that affects people of all ages and walks of life. It’s not a single condition but rather a spectrum of different disorders. Each type has its own set of signs and symptoms, likely outcomes, risk factors, and causes. An estimated 80% of people with DDD experience some form of arthritis as part of their condition. This article covers everything you need to know about degenerative disc disease and its potential to cripple your body if left untreated.
Can Degenerative Disc Disease Cripple You?
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is the result of the deterioration of the disc itself. The disc degenerates with age and can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in your lower back. If left untreated, it can lead to further complications such as spinal stenosis or even paralysis. This condition should be treated as soon as possible. It is important to seek medical attention if you notice any signs of DDD including:
The Different Types Of Ddd
1. Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative disc disease is the breakdown of the supportive discs of the spine, which can result in back pain, leg pain, or sciatica. It’s a common cause of back pain in adults. While it’s a very common condition, the symptoms of degenerative disc disease can vary widely, and each person may experience it differently. Degenerative disc disease is often confused with another common condition, a herniated disc, which is when a disc ruptures and causes a chemical irritant to leak out and press on the nerves. Unlike degenerative disc disease, a herniated disc can be serious and lead to long-term disability.
2. Herniated Disc
A herniated disk occurs when part of one or both ends of an intervertebral disk breaks off (herniates) into your spinal canal causing pressure on your spinal cord nerves at that point causing numbness or tingling sensations down one side or both sides of your body (sciatica). Herniated disks are not uncommon but they usually do not cause symptoms until they rupture causing pressure on the spinal cord nerves. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all until the herniated disk ruptures causing the pressure to be released on the spinal cord nerves. A herniated disc is a serious condition that may lead to permanent disability if left untreated.
3. Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis occurs when there is a narrowing of your spinal canal that makes it difficult for your spine to move through, which can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in your legs and arms. This narrowing can also lead to other problems in your spine such as degenerative disc disease, nerve compression or pressure on the spinal cord nerves from a herniated disc or bulging or herniated discs, and arthritis of the spine as well as other conditions such as arthritis of other joints in your body. It may also be caused by abnormal bone growths pressing against it (spondylolisthesis), tumors pressing against it (spinal tumors), infection inside it (spinal epidural abscess), or injury to the spine (spinal fracture).
4. Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is a condition where one or more of your vertebrae slips out of position causing pressure on your spinal cord nerves. This can cause numbness and tingle in your legs, arms, and/or buttocks as well as pain down one side of your back. It can also cause weakness in the legs so that you have difficulty walking and climbing stairs. In severe cases, this condition can lead to paralysis of the legs and even death.
5. Spinal Tumors
A spinal tumor is a type of cancer that grows in or around the spine. They are most often found in children under age 15 but may occur at any age (usually before age 30). They are also sometimes found in adults with no symptoms at all although they may cause symptoms when they grow large enough to press on the spinal cord nerves causing numbness or tingling down one side or both sides of the body especially around the lower back (lumbar spine) and sometimes down one leg or arm causing pain, weakness, and/or muscle spasms. Spinal tumors that press on the spinal cord nerves can cause permanent damage to the nerves if they grow large enough.
Treating Degenerative Disc Disease
Treatment of the symptoms of degenerative disc disease
Degenerative disc disease is a condition where the disc material in the spine begins to break down and cause pain. The first step in treating this condition is to identify what type of degenerative disc disease you have. The next step is to decide how much pain you are willing to tolerate before you try a more conservative treatment option such as surgery. The third step is to find an experienced surgeon that can treat your specific type of degenerative disc disease and be able to treat it successfully without having any complications or side effects from the surgery.
Treating your symptoms with medications such as anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Medications used for treating pain due to spinal injuries include medications used for treating arthritis such as ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib (Celebrex), and other NSAIDs such as indomethacin(Indocin). Some people have tried using over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or aspirin but they may not work well because they do not address the cause of why you are having pain in your back or neck area. Pain relief caused by these medications may also be limited because they do not address all of your contributing factors that are causing your pain resulting in them only addressing some of your contributing factors leading you back to symptoms of pain once the medication wears off.
Treating your symptoms with epidural or spinal anesthesia
Spinal anesthetics are injected into the spine and numb the area around it so that you feel no pain during the procedure. This type of anesthesia is usually used for surgeries where a large amount of disc material needs to be removed such as disc replacement surgery (discectomy) or disc removal surgery (discectomy and laminectomy). Spinal anesthetics are also commonly used during childbirth as well as when people undergo certain types of epidurals during childbirth such as spinal anesthesia for labor induction and epidural anesthesia for delivery. Spinal anesthetics may also be used prior to other types of surgeries that require you to remain conscious during them such as surgeries for herniated discs and hernias, etc.
Treating your symptoms with medications that are meant to numb the nerves in your back and neck area
Medications used for treating pain due to spinal injuries include medications used for treating arthritis such as ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib (Celebrex), and other NSAIDs such as indomethacin(Indocin). Some people have tried using over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or aspirin but they may not work well because they do not address the cause of why you are having pain in your back or neck area. Pain relief caused by these medications may also be limited because they do not address all of your contributing factors that are causing your pain resulting in them only addressing some of your contributing factors leading you back to symptoms of pain once the medication wears off.
Treating your symptoms with laser therapy
Laser therapy is a treatment option that involves placing a laser beam on the disc and then sending it through the spine. The laser energy heats up the disc and causes it to break down which can result in less pain, allow you to sleep through the night, improve mobility, and help correct spinal alignment. Laser therapy is usually performed on patients who have had surgeries that failed to correct their pain or after those who have had no success with conservative treatments such as epidural anesthesia, anti-inflammatories, etc.
Conclusion
If you have been diagnosed with a disc herniation or other spinal conditions and are not able to treat yourself properly, it is important that you seek the advice of a physical therapist who specializes in treating back pain. There are many treatments available to treat back pain and the right one for your condition can be determined by your doctor.
