Degenerative disc disease also causes weakness, numbness, and hot, shooting pains in the arms or legs (radicular pain). Degenerative disc disease typically consists of a low-level chronic pain with intermittent episodes of more severe pain.
Degenerative disc disease is an age-related condition that happens when one or more of the discs between the vertebrae of the spinal column deteriorates or breaks down, leading to pain.
There may be weakness, numbness, and pain that radiates down the leg.
Despite its name, degenerative disc disease is not a disease, but a natural occurrence that comes with aging.
The rubbery discs between the vertebrae normally allow for flexing and bending of the back, like shock absorbers. In time, they become worn, and they no longer offer as much protection as before.
Treatment
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.
Facet rhizotomy is a radiofrequency current that deadens the nerves around the facet joint, preventing pain signals from reaching the brain. Patients who respond well to facet joint injections may benefit from these. Pain relief may last for more than a year.
Intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty (IDET) involves inserting a catheter into the disc and heating it. This appears to reduce pain, possibly by causing collagen to contract so that it repairs damage in the disc. The exact mechanism remains unclear.
Medications include pain relief medication, such as Tylenol, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen. Steroids and muscle relaxers may also be prescribed.
Some positions can help relieve symptoms. Kneeling or reclining, for example, may be less painful than sitting.
A corset or brace can offer support for the back.
Symptoms
Disc degeneration may cause no symptoms, or the pain may be so intense that the individual cannot continue with their daily activities.
The condition starts with damage to the spine, but in time, symptoms can affect other parts of the body. Symptoms usually get worse with age.
The discomfort can range from mild to severe and debilitating. It can lead to osteoarthritis, with pain and stiffness in the back.
The most common early symptom is usually pain and weakness in the back that radiates to another area.
If the damage is in the lower back, or lumbar spine, the discomfort may radiate to the buttocks and upper thighs. There may also be tingling, numbness, or both, in the legs or feet.
If the damage is in the neck area, or cervical spine, the pain may spread to the shoulder, arm, and hand.
There may also be instability in the spine, leading to muscle spasms in the lower back or neck, as the body tries to stabilize the vertebrae. This can be painful.
The individual may experience flareups of intense pain.
The pain may be worse when sitting, bending, lifting, or twisting. Walking, lying down, and changing position may help relieve it.
Causes
Intervertebral discs, also known as intervertebral fibrocartilage or spinal discs, provide the padding between the vertebrae of the spine. They have an elastic structure, made of fibrocartilage tissue.
The outer part of the disc is known as the annulus fibrosus. It is tough and fibrous, and it consists of several overlapping layers.
The inner core of the disc is the nucleus pulposus. It is soft and gelatinous.
The intervertebral discs cushion the stress when the spine moves or bears weight. They also help the spine to bend.
As people age, repeated daily stresses on the spine and occasional injuries, including minor, unnoticed ones, can damage the discs in the back.
Changes include:
Loss of fluid: The intervertebral discs of a healthy young adult consist of up to 90 percent fluid. With age, the fluid content decreases, making the disc thinner. The distance between vertebrae becomes smaller, and it becomes less effective as a cushion, or shock-absorber.
Disc structure: Very small tears or cracks develop in the outer layer of the disc. The soft and gelatinous material in the inner part may seep through the cracks or tears, resulting in a bulging or rupturing disc. The disc may break into fragments.
When the vertebrae have less padding between them, the spine becomes less stable.
To compensate, the body builds osteophytes, or bone spurs, small bony projections that develop along the edge of bones. These projections can press against the spinal cord or spinal nerve roots. They can undermine nerve function and cause pain.
Other problems include:
a breakdown of cartilage, the tissue that cushions the joints
a bulging disc, known as a herniated disc
a narrowing of the spinal canal, or spinal stenosis