FF - Your community magazine
Page 22 Degenerative Disc Disease
Simply put, degenerative disc disease describes the symptoms of pain, and possibly radiating weakness or numbness, stemming from a degenerated disc in the spine. While the definition sounds simple, many patients diagnosed with degenerative disc disease are left wondering exactly what this diagnosis means for them.
Common questions often include:
• If I have this much pain in my thirties, how much worse will it become with age? • Will the disease become a crippling condition? Will I end up in a wheelchair? • Should I restrict my activities? Can I still play sports? • Will the disease spread to other parts of the spine? • Will the degenerated disc(s) cause any permanent damage? • Is surgery inevitable?
Degenerative Disc Disease is a misnomer A diagnosis of “degenerative disc disease” is alarming to many patients because it sounds like a progressive, threatening disease. However, it is not really a disease, and it is not strictly degenerative. For most people the term degenerative understandably implies that the symptoms will get worse with age. However, the term does not apply to the symptoms, but rather describes the process of the disc degenerating over time. Degenerative disc disease is a condition that is commonly misunderstood. A degenerated disc is not actually a disease - it is part of the normal ageing of the spine. When a spinal disc degenerates, it loses its ability to function efficiently as part of the spinal joint, which in turn can lead to back pain and possibly pain that radiates through the extremities. While it is true that the disc degeneration is likely to progress over time, the pain from degenerative disc disease usually does not get worse and in fact usually gets better given enough time. The degenerative cascade theory explains how this process
works. Disc degeneration is actually a natural part of ageing, and over time all people will exhibit changes in their discs consistent with a greater or lesser degree of degeneration. However, not all people will develop symptoms. In fact, degenerative disc disease is quite variable in its nature and severity. With regular visits to your Clinic and N.M.T massage your condition can ease and most times improve somewhat which can help you to lead a normal life.
This article is for information purposes ONLY and should not be used as a diagnostic tool. Always consult with your medial adviser or G.P. on all medical matters. Should you require any further information, have any other question that you may want answered or would prefer a one to one FREE consultation then please contact Kevin 966 765 686 or 605 306 129 or email him on
physicaltherapyclinic@yahoo.com.
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