Degenerative Disc Disease is a diagnosis that may cause extreme disabling low back pain on a daily basis, or it may simply be an incidental finding. Over 40{2dd333ed9c7b2074fdfda098a56357c21ab487243e335d9241a31e34dbd5cf30} of people over the age of 40 have MRI findings of degenerative disc disease, but remain asymptomatic.
Here are seven ways:
1) Live With the Pain – Doesn’t sound great but at the end of the day it is a quality of life decision. If a patient can avoid painful activities and remain somewhat active, able to work and interact socially and with family and live happily, this may in fact be the best option. With the results of surgery having at best a 70{2dd333ed9c7b2074fdfda098a56357c21ab487243e335d9241a31e34dbd5cf30} success rate and usually it’s a roll of the dice, all options should be exhausted and this may be the last option standing.
2) Lower Your Body Mass Index – Being overweight equals extra weight on the degenerative disc. It does not take a rocket scientist to know that if the disc is painful from degeneration and the body weight is pushing down on the painful region then extra pressure can easily exacerbate the problem.
3) Quit Smoking – Besides the general health benefits of not smoking including lowering the risk of cancer and avoiding emphysema, avoiding nicotine can help with blood flow. Nicotine is a vasoconstricting drug, and can decrease the blood flow which is needed to bring in healing oxygen and nutrition.
4) Core Stabilization and Lumbar Strengthening – Physical therapy can strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine, thereby reducing pressure on the painful degenerative disc.
5) Spinal Decompression -This is a revolutionary treatment that can dramatically decrease the pain from degenerative disc disease. Treatment at an AZ pain center with spinal decompression therapy may truly allow surgery avoidance.
6) Chiropractic Treatment – Treatment from a phoenix chiropractor can be very beneficial to decreasing the back pain from disc problems.
7) Interventional Pain Management – If there is associated facet arthritis, a facet block can assist with pain reduction.
There is no magic bullet or gimmicks to surgery avoidance when dealing with degenerative disc disease. The above options may help individually or in combination to allow one to live comfortable and avoid an operation.
