Disc Degeneration Disease

Disc degeneration disease isn't a life threatening disease but it can leave you feeling everything from mild discomfort (that's me) to chronic and significant pain...

When my doctor diagnosed me with advanced disc degeneration disease, I was devastated. She found it amazing that my condition would go from a little irritating pain in my back to such an advanced stage in such a short period of time. I suppose it carried on for a couple of years until I was diagnosed. My chiropractor, of almost twenty years, just couldn't seem to adjust my lower back in a way that would alleviate my discomfort. I think my downfall was when I took up running. I loved running but my body didn't.

I was told by my doctor that there was nothing she could do for me at this stage. All she could suggest was Tylenol for my back pain whenever I feel the need and to find a physiotherapist to give me some exercises and stretches to help alleviate my condition. This was the best advise she could have given me because physiotherapists are university trained professionals that know the body like a mechanic knows a car. They know the exact exercises and stretches available to improve our individual needs. They will help improve and correct posture, mobility and strength as well as use their manipulative treatments to help along the way.

You can also give acupuncture a try to relieve pain, as well as massage therapy to relieve the tension or muscle spasms in your back. I've had massage therapy and it did help but I can't speak to acupuncture because I haven't tried it nor do I know anyone that has.

Luckily, my case doesn't require more than Tylenol and to date I haven't taken one, but there are also other medications one could choose like muscle relaxants or sleep aids. If it's getting too uncomfortable you can even get spinal injections. There is also ultrasound therapy or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). While the ultrasound increases the blood flow to the area with sound waves, TENS interrupts the pain signals to the brain with electrical stimulation.

In my case, I erroneously decided not to exercise. Running or cycling caused too much discomfort so I threw the baby out with the bathwater by giving it up completely. I've since learned that a part of my treatment for disc degeneration disease is exercise. It will increase the blood flow in my body and it carries all the good things like oxygen and nutrients to repair and heal. This will help the function of both my spine and the surrounding muscles.

I've read that people with disc degeneration disease need at least 30 minutes a day of low impact and strength training. I can tell you that right now that my whole body feels like Santa's belly so the sooner I get on this the better. To be continued on that front...

We all know, as elderly elders, how to live longer or we wouldn't have made it this far. We've learned to keep our weight in check, stop smoking (why did we begin?) and to not drink so much alcohol, if at all. That's pretty basic, but we must also remember to keep hydrated and to eat well with lots of veggies and fruits. It's also important to sleep on a supportive mattress and to remember our posture.

With these non surgical treatments, having disc degeneration disease isn't the end of the world as I originally thought, it's just part of the aging process. For some of us, it can't be prevented, but it can be managed.

by Yvonne Kelly

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