Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a condition involving the gradual destruction of spine and neck cartilage. As you get older, your body weakens due to decreasing levels of water and protein in the cartilage. The destruction of those joints leads to DDD and increases your risk of back and neck injury. Learn get treated for degenerative disc disease before it's too late.
Instructions
1. Schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible if you have back pain that doesn't go away. Ignoring your back pain only makes it worse and costs you in the long run. Your doctor can diagnose the extent of your back pain through an MRI, x-ray test or CT scan of your spine. Talk to your doctor about what can be done to help you if you have degenerative disc disease.
2. Take doctor-prescribed medication in the recommended doses. Doctors suggest taking over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen if your DDD symptoms are minor. If your symptoms worsen, your doctor may prescribe something stronger such as ketoprofen, orudis or chymodiactin. Check with your doctor before increasing your medication dosage if the pain increases.
3. Rest your body to avoid the risk of straining the injured area and causing your symptoms to flare up further. Doctors recommend using either ice packs or heating pads to relieve your DDD symptoms. Use a firm mattress to lie comfortably on to take pressure off your spine. Return to daily activities slowly to prevent any more strain on your spine.
4. Begin a 6-week physical therapy program to help relieve DDD symptoms and reduce the risk of any further strain. Most therapy programs focus on stretching exercises and proper walking techniques. Also find a chiropractor to help repair any current injuries. Chiropractors apply pressure to the injured area to help restore motion to the spine. If neither method helps you, call your doctor.
5. Consult with a surgeon who specializes in back and spinal injuries. Surgeons recommend two possible treatments for you to consider: intradiscal electrothermal therapy and interbody fusion. In intradiscal electrothermal therapy, your surgeon inserts a catheter to give heat directly to the injured area and relieve your symptoms. Interbody fusion is a procedure that joins one or more vertabrae to give the spine some stability. Decide carefully before choosing any surgical procedure. Think about which treatment is more effective before selecting it. Schedule your surgery and set aside some time to recover.
Tags: your symptoms, back pain, disc disease, injured area, your doctor