Common Lumbar DDD Treatments
- Prescription pain medications. Severe pain that is not relieved with OTC medications may be muscle relaxants or narcotic painkillers.
- Heat and ice. Applying heat to the low back improves circulation, which reduces muscle spasms and tension and improves mobility.
- Manual manipulation. Commonly associated with chiropractic care, manual manipulation is a popular pain management method for low back pain.
- Massage therapy. Massage therapy can reduce tension and spasms in the low back muscles, reducing pressure on the spine and alleviating pain.
What is the recovery time for lumbar spine surgery?
Take a look at some of our minimally invasive stabilization surgery outcomes:
- 70 percent of patients report returning to work within three months after surgery^
- 83 percent of patients report returning to daily activities within three months after surgery^
- Patient satisfaction score of 98 ^ for overall Laser Spine Institute minimally invasive surgery
How to relieve lumbar spondylosis pain?
Method 2 of 3: Treating Spondylosis Medically
- Try over-the-counter pain relievers. The pain and other symptoms of spondylosis, whether acute or chronic, can be treated with home methods.
- Use a topical pain reliever. Topical pain relievers can complement or be used an alternative to oral pain relievers.
- Get a prescription medication. ...
- Try muscle relaxants. ...
How to treat lumbar radiculopathy?
Ways To Treat Radiculopathy
- Activity Modification. Activity modification is a simple treatment option for individuals who suffer from radiculopathy. ...
- Physical Therapy. Physical therapy is another solution for radiculopathy. ...
- Cervical Traction. Not all pinched nerves occur in the back. ...
- Artificial Disk Replacement. ...
- Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusion. ...
How to treat arthritis in lumbar spine?
- If a user experiences motion sickness, dizziness, headache, or eye strain when using the device, stop use of the device and resume therapy per your doctor's advice.
- Use only in a safe environment. ...
- If you are wearing a pacemaker or other implanted medical device, do not use it until you consult a doctor or medical device manufacturer.
What can be done for severe degenerative disc disease?
Treatment may include occupational therapy, physical therapy, or both, special exercises, medications, losing weight, and surgery. Medical options include injecting the joints next to the damaged disc with steroids and a local anesthetic. These are called facet joint injections. They can provide effective pain relief.
Can lumbar disc disease be cured?
Answer: Unfortunately, there's currently no cure for degenerative disc disease, and once you're diagnosed with DDD, it's typically a lifelong journey of learning to live with back pain, neck pain, or other symptoms. Once your discs begin to degenerate, you can't really reverse the process.
What is the prognosis for severe degenerative disc disease?
Outlook / Prognosis Many people use nonsurgical and at-home treatments to manage pain long-term. If you have mild to moderate back pain, you will need to continue treatment to keep the pain at bay. Most people who have surgery for degenerative disk disease experience long-term pain relief.
What stage is severe degenerative disc disease?
Stage 4. The final stage of degenerative disc disease is the most severe and is typically considered irreversible. Discs are at their thinnest or gone altogether. The flexibility of the spine is extremely limited and pain is often considerable.
What is the best surgery for degenerative disc disease?
Discectomy. Discectomy is the most common surgical treatment for a herniated disc, which often occurs as a result of degenerative disc disease. It involves removing the injured part of the disc, relieving pressure on the affected nerve.
Are there any new treatments for degenerative disc disease?
These cushion the spine, maintain flexibility, and help absorb the pressure of movement. But the discs degenerate with age, and chronic back pain is common among older adults. There are currently no treatments to stop disc degeneration.
What happens when degenerative disc disease gets worse?
The degeneration of the bony structure can increase the risk of fractures in the vertebral bones, contributing to overall instability and aging of the spine. Spinal stenosis. A narrowed spinal canal can occur as the discs flatten, stiffen, bulge into the canal, or strain the facet joints.
Does a neurologist treat degenerative disc disease?
If you suffer from a spinal condition such as disc herniation or degeneration, spinal fractures, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, or other types of spinal injuries or pain, both a neurologist and an orthopedic doctor are equipped to treat these spinal conditions.
Can you live a normal life with DDD?
Can you live a normal life with degenerative disc disease? The answer is yes, even it forces you to be out of work for an extended amount of time. Do not give up. There are many methods of pain relief that you can do at home that can help you live a normal life.
When does degenerative disc disease need surgery?
Surgical treatment is an option in cases of severe, debilitating lumbar degenerative disc disease, and is usually only recommended after at least 6 months of nonsurgical treatment. Most cases of degenerative disc disease can be managed using nonsurgical methods, and do not require surgery for effective pain relief.
Is walking good for degenerative disc disease?
Walking can help treat degenerative disc disease since it's a mild form of physical therapy, which is good for your spine and joints. The pain of degenerative disc disease could be in your lower back or the neck. It can extend to the hands, arms, legs, and butt.
Can degenerative disc disease lead to paralysis?
This can irritate the spinal cord or nearby nerves, causing weakness and numbness in the arms or legs. A severely herniated disc can cause paralysis. Disc herniation is most common in the lower back (lumbar spine) and neck (cervical spine).