Why Does a Degenerative Spine Cause Pain?
Degenerative spine conditions are painful because they can affect a vast majority of the spine’s structures. From the tip top of the cervical spine to the bottom of the lumbar spine, degenerative spine conditions wear away at your disks, rendering them incapable of dealing with mechanical stress. These disks act as cushions between the vertebrae, so when they lose their ability to function properly, any number of symptoms can occur as a result.
When the spine starts to experience degeneration, whether as a result of an acute injury or aging, the discs can no longer absorb shock, resulting in pain. These vertebrae can also shift in ways that affect other bones or even the nerves, which can become compressed or pinched. If disk degeneration lasts long enough and worsens, disks can actually become inflamed and collapse.
In the later stages, bony spurs can form which might lead to spinal stenosis, a condition where the spinal canal becomes too small and presses against the nerve roots leading to pain and dysfunctional nerves in the legs. This makes doing even the most routine activities a struggle. Eventually, you could find yourself declining invitations to parties, ignoring phone calls from relatives that want to see you, or laying in bed all day to avoid putting additional stress on your spine.
Unfortunately, inaction isn’t going to lead to actionable results, which means individuals suffering from degenerative spine conditions must seek help if they want to enjoy all that life has to offer without crippling pain, debilitating numbness, or other frustrating symptoms.
What Causes Degenerative Spine Conditions?
The spine is a central part of our daily lives, integral to our very anatomy and absolutely essential for movement. It supports the human body, allows us to stand up straight, and serves as an essential component of the central nervous system. Unfortunately, degenerative spine conditions are not uncommon, and often find that life is the biggest culprit.
In fact, nearly everyone experiences some form of degenerative spine condition during their lifetime.
This is because, at a younger age the disks of the back are softer and serve as cushions for the vertebrae — life was easier for the body because it was far more resilient. However, over time, the material in the disks becomes weaker and weaker, until finally, they start to erode. It is also common for repeated strains or sprains and overuse of the back to contribute to these conditions.
Athletes, individuals working in physically demanding industries, those with genetic conditions, and trauma victims may have an increased risk of degenerative spine conditions. If you have been injured in a traumatic accident or have re-injured your spine multiple times, it’s important that you consult an orthopedic surgeon to discuss the ideal treatment for your condition.
What are the Symptoms?
While the symptoms may vary case by case, there are a few which are fairly standard, including:
- Pain in the lower back, glutes and buttocks, or upper thighs.
- Pain caused by twisting, or lifting objects.
- Pain that travels down one leg or sciatica.
- Pain that comes and goes, may be described as severe or annoying, and can last for a few days, or a few months.
- Pain that decreases in severity if you shift positions. For example, pain that mounts while laying down for an extended period but is relieved once standing upright.
In some rare scenarios, the arms, hands and fingers may go numb or experience a “tingling” sensation, almost as if the limb has “fallen asleep.” As a matter of fact, this can also happen in the legs causing the muscles in them to become weak. Imagine walking through the house and losing sensation in your legs, that’s dangerous in itself. Now, imagine if this happened while you were carrying something fragile, hot, or sharp — the injury to your spine could be the least of your problems.
What are the Treatment Options?
Degenerative spine conditions can be treated with both surgical and non-surgical methods. Typically, surgical methods are employed once non-surgical methods have been proven to be ineffective in relieving a patient of their symptoms. Of course, an spine surgeon can recommend surgery to a patient, but only a patient can choose to seek this type of treatment.
That said, many of the surgeries employed to treat degenerative spine conditions are minimally invasive and can be performed in an outpatient setting with minimal hospitalization and a reduced risk of complications. This has helped improve patients’ perceptions of spinal surgery, allowing more and more people to seek long-term relief for their symptoms without worrying about a stressful, invasive surgery.
Non-Surgical Treatments for Degenerative Spine Conditions
This is the more common treatment option aimed at easing pain and preventing further damage to the spine. This is done using over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin to help with both pain and inflammation, although something stronger may be prescribed by your medical provider).
For some patients who do not respond to common treatments involving medication, steroid shots may be a better option. These shots are given to the nerve or muscle and help with swelling, inflammation, and pain. However, they must be administered by a doctor.
One final treatment option is physical therapy. These specific, targeted movements help the muscles in the neck and back stretch, strengthen, and gain more flexibility. This may also help alleviate pain by improving the spine’s ability to support the body. Physical therapy is often coupled with other non-surgical methods to improve outcomes, but it’s arguably at its most useful when integrated into the recovery process following surgery.
Surgical Options for Degenerative Spine Conditions
There are several surgical options to help individuals suffering from degenerative spine conditions. If other options are exhausted or if your symptoms are severe, a doctor may suggest a procedure called a discectomy. In this operation, the surgeon removes the injured piece of the disk. This helps to take pressure off of the nerves to help relieve back pain.
A spine surgeon may recommend a laminectomy for patients suffering from spinal stenosis. During this surgery, the lamina is removed to reduce compression on the nerves and relieve inflammation. Over time, scar tissue will take the place of the missing lamina and help protect the nerves in the spine.
In some circumstances, a doctor might take the whole disk and replace it with an artificial copy or they may elect to perform a fusion of the bones after the disk is removed to improve stability and reduce the chance of further injury. Many of these surgeries are minimally invasive and have become largely routine in the world of orthopedic surgery. Individuals suffering from degenerative spine conditions now have more options than ever before to seek relief without being forced to deal with detrimental complications or extended hospitalizations. In as little as one day, a patient could find themselves on the road to recovery with the help of an spine surgeon.
