Lumbar and Cervical Disc Herniated Disc – Degenerative Disc Diseases

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Erik T. Bendiks, M.D

• Lumbar and Cervical Disc Herniated Disc
  Degenerative Disc Diseases

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Lower back pain has affected millions of people
across the country. As a matter of fact, it has
found that number of patients suffering from this
disease is increasing each passing day.
Degenerative disc disease is a condition which
affects young as well as middle-aged people on a
daily basis. It might wax and wane before it
decides to make things difficult and bothering
for you. Lumbar and Cervical Herniated Disc are
two most common conditions which make even
accomplishing daily activities a challenge.
Erik T. Bendiks, M.D
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The intervertebral discs are situated between the
vertebral bodies at every level of the cervical,
thoracic and lumbar spines. These discs are made
up of eighty percent of water. They work as shock
absorber when you jump or walk or perform any
motion related to the spine. Studies performed
indicate that near about forty percent of the
people aged above forty years of age bear the
brunt of this problem at some of the other level.
There is very possibility that there might be no
pain even if degenerative disc disease appears on
MRI or X-ray. There are many people who are
afflicted with severe back pain resulting from
degenerative disc disease. It is not necessary
that the disease occurs because of an injury. It
can be genetic which lead to that disc level to
start dehydrating earlier causing loss of height
of the disc and lack of water triggering back
pain.
Erik T. Bendiks, M.D
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As far as initial treatment is considered,
healthcare professional or orthopedic surgeons
start with medication, exercise and lifestyle
changes. Activities such as jogging should be
avoided, and only those recommended by the doctor
should be the part of your daily regime. Make
sure that you take the medicine as prescribed the
doctor. Additional treatment includes pain
management such as acupuncture, physical therapy,
spinal decompression therapy and massage.
Cervical
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LUMBAR
Only when these treatments fail to show any
improvement that the doctor recommends surgery
for cervical or lumbar herniated disc. Timely
treatment and lifestyle changes can ease pain and
stops further growth of the problem.