Texas Spine And Sports Therapy Center, 1500 West 38th Street, Austin, Texas 78731 512-219-8999






What is degenerative disc disease?


Degenerative disc disease is not really a disease but a term used to describe
the normal changes in your spinal discs as you age. Spinal discs are soft,
compressible discs that separate the interlocking bones (vertebrae) that
make up the spine. The discs act as shock absorbers for the spine, allowing
it to flex, bend, and twist. Degenerative disc disease can take place
throughout the spine, but it most often occurs in the discs in the lower back
(lumbar region) and the neck (cervical region).


The changes in the discs can result in back or neck pain, as well as:

Osteoarthritis, the breakdown of the tissue (cartilage) that protects and
cushions joints.
Herniated disc, an abnormal bulge or breaking open of a spinal disc.
Spinal stenosis, the narrowing of the spinal canal, the open space in the spine
that holds the spinal cord.
These conditions may put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, leading to
pain and possibly affecting nerve function.

What causes degenerative disc disease?
As we age, our spinal discs break down, or degenerate, which may result in
degenerative disc disease in some people. These age-related changes
include:

The loss of fluid in your discs. This reduces the ability of the discs to act as
shock absorbers and makes them less flexible. Loss of fluid also makes the
disc thinner and narrows the distance between the vertebrae.
Tiny tears or cracks in the outer layer (annulus or capsule) of the disc. The
jellylike material inside the disc (nucleus) may be forced out through the tears
or cracks in the capsule, which causes the disc to bulge, break open
(rupture), or break into fragments.
These changes are more likely to occur in people who smoke cigarettes and
those who do heavy physical work (such as repeated heavy lifting). People
who are obese are also more likely to have symptoms of degenerative disc
disease.

A sudden (acute) injury leading to a herniated disc (such as a fall) may also
begin the degeneration process.

As the space between the vertebrae gets smaller, there is less padding
between them, and the spine becomes less stable. The body reacts to this
by constructing bony growths called bone spurs (osteophytes). Bone spurs
can put pressure on the spinal nerve roots or spinal cord, resulting in pain and
affecting nerve function.

What are the symptoms?
Degenerative disc disease may result in back or neck pain, but this varies
from person to person. Many people have no pain, while others with the
same amount of disc damage have severe pain that limits their activities.
Where the pain occurs depends on the location of the affected disc. An
affected disc in the neck area may result in neck or arm pain, while an
affected disc in the lower back may result in pain in the back, buttocks, or
leg. The pain often gets worse with movements such as bending over,
reaching up, or twisting.

-WebMD
austin texas,austin,texas
austin,78731,disc
decompression,drx9000,drx9500,austin
chiropractor,texas chiropractic
clinic,back pain,neck pain,disc
pain,bad back,herniation,therapy in
austin for back pain,degenerative disc
disease,pain,disc pain cure,disc pain
help in austin,back surgery,disc
surgery,austin texas,chiropractor,texas
spine and sports therapy center