Degenerative Disc Disease Doctors

What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?

Degenerative disc disease, sometimes referred to as degenerative spinal disease, is a condition that occurs when one or more of the discs between the vertebrae of the spinal column deteriorate or break down, often resulting in pain. Despite its name, DDD isn't a disease but rather a term that describes the normal changes in your spinal discs as you age.

DDD is very common, and it's estimated that at least 30% of people aged 30-50 years old will have some degree of disc degeneration. However, not everyone will have pain or ever receive a formal diagnosis.

How Does Degenerative Disc Disease Affect the Body?

DDD primarily affects the spine, specifically the neck in the cervical spine and lower back in the lumbar spine. As the discs between our vertebrae break down, they lose their ability to act as shock absorbers for the spine, leading to discomfort, pain, and reduced mobility.

The pain can range from mild to severe and debilitating, and it can also cause other issues like muscle tension or spasms. In some cases, DDD can lead to herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and osteoarthritis.

What kind of doctor treats degenerative disc disease? At Pain and Spine Specialists, we have a team of experienced medical experts ready to help you heal from DDD. We're committed to helping our patients understand their conditions. We believe that knowledge is power, and the more you know about degenerative spinal disease, the better equipped you'll be to manage your symptoms and maintain your quality of life.

How Fast Does Degenerative Disc Disease Progress?

The progression of this disease typically unfolds in four phases of spinal degeneration: the dysfunction stage, dehydration stage, stabilization stage, and collapsing stage.

The dysfunction stage is the initial phase where the patient may experience mild discomfort. This is followed by the dehydration stage, where the disc begins to lose fluid, causing it to thin and provide less cushioning between the vertebrae. The stabilization stage is marked by the formation of bone spurs as the body attempts to stabilize the disc. The final phase of spinal degeneration is the collapsing stage, where the disc space can collapse completely, leading to severe pain and potential nerve damage.

The rate at which degenerative disc disease progresses through spinal degeneration phases can vary significantly from person to person. Some patients may remain in the first stage for several years, while others may progress through the stages more quickly. 

What Causes Degenerative Disc Disease?

Degenerative disc disease occurs in spinal degeneration stages. It often begins with the natural aging process, but it can also be influenced by certain lifestyle factors.

Potential causes of DDD include:

How to Prevent Degenerative Disc Disease 

While DDD is a part of the natural aging process, it does not affect everyone, and specific demographics may be more susceptible. Risk factors can make you more prone to this condition are:

• Smoking: Nicotine reduces the oxygen supply to the disc, causing it to degenerate more quickly.
• Obesity: Extra weight puts additional stress on the discs, especially those in your lower back.
• Occupation: Jobs that require heavy lifting, bending, or twisting may put additional stress on your spine, leading to faster disc degeneration.
• Sedentary Lifestyle: Lack of regular exercise can lead to poor spinal health and contribute to disc degeneration.

Understanding these causes and risk factors can help you make informed decisions about your health. 

Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative disc disease can present a variety of symptoms depending on the location and severity of the condition. Pain in the back and the neck is the most common indication of degenerative disc disease, but there are many symptoms to look for, such as:

• Pain When Sitting or Standing: The pain worsens when sitting or standing for a long time. It also gets worse when you twist or bend your back. These might be signs of degenerative disc disease. 
• Pain During Certain Activities: Sharp pain when bending, lifting, and twisting might incidcate DDD. 
• Intermittent Pain: A pain that comes and goes but does not stay in one place for a long time might be DDD. In the worst cases, it takes months for the pain to go away.
• Radiating Pain: Depending on where the disc degeneration has occurred, you may feel pain in other parts of your body. The pain usually points to the lower back and the buttocks. Some cases include pain in the upper thigh.
• Numbness and Tingling: If the degenerated discs affect nerves in the spine, you might experience numbness and tingling in your arms and legs.
• Weakness in Leg Muscles: In some cases, the nerves affected by disc degeneration control your leg muscles. If these nerves are compressed, you could feel weakness in your legs.
• Pain Improves When Lying Down: Degenerative disc disease might be present when pain gets better when using proper posture or when lying down.

While these signs can indicate degenerative disc disease, they might also be associated with other health conditions. Always consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis if you're experiencing any of these symptoms.

What to Avoid with Degenerative Disc Disease

Some people experience the signs and symptoms of degenerative disc disease, but they do not experience any pain. However, for most people, the condition does cause pain. The pain can range from mild to severe, and it may come and go or be constant. The pain is usually worse with activity and improves with rest. If you have degenerative disc disease, it is essential to know what activities, positions, and movements to avoid to prevent pain flare-ups.

Poor Posture

Poor posture is notorious for causing all sorts of pain, including back pain. Sitting or standing with poor posture puts unnecessary strain on your spine, leading to pain. Not only can it cause degenerative disc disease, but it can also lead to other spinal conditions. It can also strain the muscles and ligaments that support your spine, leading to even more pain.

Soda and Alcohol

The phosphoric acid in soda can lead to bone loss and osteoporosis, worsening degenerative disc disease. Alcohol, on the other hand, acts as a diuretic that can worsen the symptoms of degenerative disc disease, such as pain and inflammation.

Smoking

Smoking also is a diuretic that can speed up the degeneration of the discs in your spine. In addition, smoking decreases the blood flow to your spine, which means it gets less oxygen and nutrients. This can also lead to more pain and other issues.

Degenerative Disc Disease Work Restrictions

DDD is directly related to the aging process and natural wear-and-tear of the spine, so there are no definitive work restrictions. However, if you have pain associated with degenerative disc disease, your doctor may recommend avoiding certain activities or positions that aggravate your pain. 

These restrictions will be based on your symptoms and needs. But in general, it is best to avoid jobs requiring lifting heavy objects, bending frequently, or twisting your back. Physical activities such as sports involving impact or jarring should also be avoided to prevent pain flare-ups.

Maintaining a healthy weight proportionate to your height is critical and highly impacts your spine health. Excess weight can put a strain on your spine and make the symptoms of degenerative disc disease worse.

Can Degenerative Disc Disease Be Reversed?

Unfortunately, degenerative disc disease cannot be reversed. However, some treatments can help relieve the pain and other symptoms associated with the condition.  

These changes include but are not limited to:

• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Practicing good posture
• Exercising regularly
• Avoiding activities and positions that aggravate your pain
• Conservative therapies can also help, such as physical therapy, yoga, and chiropractic care

Your doctor may recommend medication or surgery if these methods do not provide relief.

How to Diagnose Degenerative Disc Disease

At Pain and Spine Specialists, we use a comprehensive approach to diagnose degenerative disc disease. Our diagnostic process includes:

Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment Options 

So, what is the best pain relief for degenerative disc disease? The answer is that treatment options for degenerative disc disease vary depending on the patient's needs and preferences. A few types of degenerative spine disease treatments that we offer at Pain and Spine Specialists are:

Injection Therapies

Injection therapies can be quite beneficial in managing degenerative disc disease. They primarily work by delivering powerful anti-inflammatory medications, such as corticosteroids, directly to the affected areas. This reduces inflammation around the nerves and spinal cord, which can significantly alleviate pain and discomfort.

Injection therapies we offer include:

• Facet Joint Injection: Facet joint injections deliver steroids directly into the facet joints in the spine, reducing inflammation and providing pain relief.
• Epidural Steroid Injection: An epidural steroid injection involves injecting a steroid into the epidural space around the spinal cord to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain.
• Sacroiliac Joint Injections: Sacroiliac joint injections are used to reduce inflammation and pain in the sacroiliac joint, which can be affected by degenerative disc disease.
• Via Disc NP: Via Disc NP is a non-surgical treatment uses an injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to stimulate healing in the damaged disc.

Advanced Interventional Procedures

Advanced interventional techniques are minimally-invasive and involve specialized tools to target the affected areas, such as:

• Spinal Cord Stimulation: Spinal cord stimulation is a common degenerative disc disease medical procedure that involves implanting a small device that sends electrical pulses to the spinal cord, disrupting pain signals and providing relief.
• Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression (MILD): MILD removes parts of the thickened ligament in the back of the spinal canal, relieving pressure on the nerves and reducing pain.
• The Minuteman Procedure: This minimally invasive spinal fusion procedure stabilizes the spine and reduces pain by preventing movement in the degenerated disc.
• Aurora ZIP Lumbar Fusion: An Aurora ZIP fuses the vertebrae to provide stability and reduce pain.
• Sacroiliac Joint Fusion: Sacroiliac joint fusion fuses the sacroiliac joint, providing stability and reducing pain.
• Radiofrequency Ablation: Radiofrequency ablation uses heat generated from radio waves to damage specific nerves and interrupts the pain signals they send.
• Intrathecal Pain Pump: An intrathecal pain pump is a device delivers pain medication directly to the spinal cord, providing more effective pain relief with lower doses of medication.

Conventional Therapies

Coventional therapies are treatments are focused on alleviating pain without surgery or invasive techniques, including:

• Medication Management Programs: Medication management programs can effectively reduce the symptoms associated with degenerative disc disease.
• Referrals to Physical Therapy: Physical therapy for degenerative disc disease includes exercises to increase the flexibility and strength of your spine, helping you manage your pain.

Alternative Treatment for Degenerative Disc Disease

Alternative therapies can play a supportive role in managing DDD. While the effectiveness of these therapies can vary from person to person, they are generally considered safe and can provide relief for some individuals.

A few alternative DDD treatment options are:

• Acupuncture: A therapeutic technique that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body, acupuncture has been used for centuries to relieve pain and improve overall health.
• Infrared Saunas: Infrared saunas use infrared light to produce heat, which can penetrate deeper into the body than traditional saunas. This deep heat can help improve blood circulation, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.
• Photobiomodulation: Photobiomodulation could potentially support the management of degenerative disc disease by alleviating pain and promoting healing.

Nonsurgical Treatments

Home remedies such as enough rest, hydrotherapy, exercise, heat or cold application, and over-the-counter or prescription medications can help alleviate the pain. Some people also opt for chiropractic care and physical therapy.

Please note that the effectiveness of these DDD treatment options can vary from person to person. Always consult a healthcare professional for the best treatment options for your condition. At Pain and Spine Specialists, we offer degenerative disc disease treatment options in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.