Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment

Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment

Degenerative disc disease conservative treatment is the treatment I would recommend unless you are in severe pain. If your pain is severe then you may need surgery. There are different treatments for degenerative disc disease.
Degenerative disc disease occurs when an IVD becomes worn out because of aging or as a result of cumulative damage or trauma. With degenerative disc disease, the disc does not correctly cushion the vertebrae and distribute body weight. Discs can wear out, tear, bulge outward, or rupture causing pressure on the nerve roots that results in nerve impingement, inflammation, and pain. Nerve impingement can cause numbness and muscle weakness of extremities, sciatica, and even bowel or bladder problems. If this is left untreated, permanent nerve damage may occur. As discs wear down, bone spurs may form on the vertebrae in a condition similar to osteoarthritis. Disc back pain generally is mechanical in nature and is made worse by sitting, lifting, standing, jumping, or any activity that causes rotation of the spine. About 50% of people older than 40 years of age have degenerative disc disease. If your pain is not severe, then conservative treatment maybe the right choice for your back pain, these are a few conservative treatments.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT FOR DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE
Rest until the pain has decreased
Moist heat to the affected area
Muscle relaxant medications to treat pain-related muscle spasms
Steroid medications to relieve inflammation and pain
Physical therapy
If these conservative treatments are unsuccessful then surgery is the next step. There are two types of surgery for degenerative disc disease.
Spinal fusion currently is the treatment of choice for patients with degenerative disc disease in the United...