Though the word “disease” can strike fear into anybody’s heart, degenerative disc disease isn’t actually a disease at all. In fact, this term merely describes the natural progression and changes in your spinal discs that come with age. Changes in these discs, which are the soft, compressible material between the vertebrae in your spine, can be a common cause of back and neck pain. The areas that are most affected are those in your neck and in the lower regions of your back. The pain can often be intense, creating a loss of enjoyment in your life.
There are many reasons why someone may develop a worsening case of degenerative disc disease. You could be experiencing a loss of the fluids that make up your discs, which not only narrows the distance between your vertebrae causing undue pressure, but also makes you less flexible. There is also the possibility that you may have suffered an acute injury to your lower back which set off a “chain reaction” throughout the rest of your spinal discs. Those who are obese, engage in regular heavy lifting or who are smokers also run the risk of developing degenerative disc disease.
Though normal back pain generally clears itself up over the course of a few weeks, those who have developed degenerative disc disease will often experience chronic, or at least frequent, pain. If you have been experiencing back pain for more than a few months, it’s important to visit a specialist team to develop a plan of action. Allowing it to go on can result in worsening damage to your spine, and therefore more pain, mobility issues, and problems further down the line. By seeing a team with a variety of approaches, such as the ones offered at Integrated Spine & Sports, the staff can help develop a program to tackle your pain and put you on the road to a pain-free life.
Source: http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/tc/degenerative-disc-disease-topic-overview
