5 Treatments for Degenerative Disc Disease

Your back is so important, not only for your posture, but also for allowing you to move about throughout the day. But when injuries strike, they lead to pain, and sometimes degenerative conditions that are hard to treat. Degenerative disc disease is one of those pesky conditions that makes life a little more difficult for you. However, there are treatments out there that help decrease your pain.

At Pinnacle Health Chiropractic, our team are experts in treatments for many different types of pain. Dr. Jason Ablett is our lead chiropractor, who helps you get your discomfort under control with a variety of treatment modalities. Whether it’s degenerative disc disease, or another type of condition, Dr. Ablett has the knowledge and the tools to help.

All about degenerative disc disease

Your spine is a complex set of bones that protect your spinal cord from damage. It’s made up of individual bones that are known as vertebrae. These bones house the spinal cord, and start at your neck and end in your buttocks. In between each vertebrae are spongy, shock absorbers called intervertebral discs.

These discs provide cushioning in between the bones, and absorb excess pressure put on your spine during certain activities. However, over time, these discs become flat and begin to break down. This is normal as you age, but when it starts to cause pain, the condition is called degenerative disc disease.

Although some wear and tear is normal as you age, the deterioration of degenerative disc disease is often enough to cause pain and interrupt your life. However, this condition is also the result of overuse or injury related to your spine. 

Symptoms of this condition

Degenerative disc disease, like many other spinal conditions, usually causes pain in either your neck or back. This pain may come and go, or be more like a constant ache that prevents you from enjoying normal activities. However, there are other symptoms that you may also experience, including:

• Pain with bending or twisting
• Muscle spasms
• Spinal instability
• Radiating pain to extremities
• Pain that gets worse when sitting or standing too long

If you suffer from this condition, you may also notice that your pain gets better when you’re in certain positions, like reclined or with support, like a pillow under your knees. You may also experience decreased pain when you frequently change positions, which helps take pressure off of the damaged disc.

Pain from degenerative disc disease varies greatly from person to person. Your pain could be completely disabling, while someone else with the same condition may have almost no discomfort at all. 

Treatments that help

Although degenerative disc disease may seem hopeless, that simply isn’t true. There are many different types of treatments out there to help you cope with this condition, and get your pain under control. Treatments vary and include non-invasive and surgical options. However, Dr. Ablett starts with several types of conservative treatment, including:

1. Rehabilitative exercise

Exercise has many benefits, especially to your spine. Low impact exercise helps to temporarily relieve pain due to the endorphins released. It also improves your strength and flexibility, which are both key when dealing with spine conditions.

2. Electrical stimulation

This type of therapy helps block the pain signals to your brain, which decreases the discomfort you feel. The stimulation is delivered through adhesive pads that are placed on your back or neck. They are connected to a device that delivers mild electrical impulses to help ease your pain.

3. Stretching

Stretching is great for pain, as it helps to increase your overall flexibility and loosens your muscles. Because degenerative disc disease may cause muscle spasms, stretching is key to preventing further episodes from the instability in your spine.

4. Ultrasound therapy

Ultrasound is used when you’re having pain from your condition. It helps to increase circulation to the damaged area, which not only helps with healing, but also provides essential nutrients to help decrease inflammation.

5. Chiropractic care

Dr. Ablett uses spinal manipulation to improve your spinal mobility. This not only aids in decreasing your pain, but also improves the inflammation in your disc space. There are several different types of spinal manipulation, and Dr. Ablett determines which is best for you.

When you’re tired of the discomfort caused by degenerative disc disease, don’t keep suffering. Book an appointment online with Dr. Ablett, or you can call Pinnacle Health Chiropractic today.