Can Degenerative Disc Disease Be Cured?

To cure degenerative disc disease naturally you can use physical therapy, exercise, yoga, chiropractic adjustments, dietary supplements, and eating healthy. If all else, you can opt for surgery.

What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?

Degenerative disc disease is caused by aging.  85% of people will have some evidence of degenerative disc disease by age 50. As we age the discs between our vertebrae dehydrate and can’t absorb shock.  So, when we walk the discs don’t cushion as they once did.  Ligaments and bones also thicken and become less flexible with age. While muscles can repair themselves discs receive very little blood flow and don’t repair.  While the discs cannot be repaired; quality of life can be restored naturally.

How Can You Cure Degenerative Disc Disease?

The goal is to alleviate discomfort while also preventing further injury. Based on your symptoms and the severity of your problem, your doctor will recommend the best treatment option for you. The following treatments may be used:

• Inflammation can be reduced using over-the-counter pain medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen. They can help you feel better and reduce edema. If you need it, your doctor may prescribe a stronger pain reliever.
• Muscle spasms are another symptom of degenerative disk disease. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help you feel better.
• Physical therapy is a type of treatment that involves the use of The muscles in your neck and back get stronger and more flexible as a result of specific movements. This helps to stabilize the spine. Physical therapy and pain medicines are usually sufficient for long-term treatment.
• Shots of steroid. These contain severe pain, swelling, and inflammation-relieving medicines. Your doctor may recommend that you have a shot in your back’s epidural space, a fluid-filled area surrounding the spinal cord, or in a nerve or muscle.

Let’s take a detailed look at some options for degenerative disc disease treatment.

Physical Therapy

Passive and active physical therapy treatments can help reduce the pain and discomfort from degenerative disc disease.  These treatments include approaches like spinal traction, deep tissues massage, and treating your condition with alternating heat and cold.  Physical therapy exercises also will help improve your stability, strength, flexibility, and range of motion.

Exercise

Exercise can increase strength around the degenerating discs.  With greater strength comes better stability and support that leads to improved mobility.  Types of exercise that help treat degenerative disc disease include: swimming, cycling, walking, and pilates.

Yoga

While yoga is exercise it is also mental relaxation.  It helps you improve your range of motion via muscle strengthening positions and stretching.  By improving your core strength, it will help support your spine and relive some of the discomfort associated with degenerative disc disease.  In addition to helping with physical relief yoga is known for managing stress and anxiety.

Chiropractic Adjustments

Chiropractic adjustments that help treat degenerative disc disease aim to reduce inflammation and improve spinal range of motion.  Techniques that chiropractors use to treat this disease include hand held instruments, flexion-distraction techniques, and spinal manipulation to restore movement.  Other treatments your chiropractor might recommend are ultrasound treatment, electrical stimulation, and therapeutic massage.

Acupuncture

A healthy body is full of energy that’s flowing freely through it.  When we have disorders or diseases such as degenerative disc disease it hinders the free-flowing energy.  Acupuncture treatment is designed to heal you through directing energy to specific locations in your body.  This can help reduce inflammation, discomfort, and pain associated with degenerative disc disease.

Massage Therapy

While a massage when you’re in good health is a luxury having massage therapy for degenerative disc disease is practically a necessity.  It will help you reduce stress by relaxing and help treat the muscles around your spine.  Degenerative disc disease forces the muscles around your spine to support you, so you don’t feel the full discomfort of your degenerated discs.  This causes them to work harder and be under more strain.  Massage therapy helps reduce muscle discomfort and restore better quality of life.

Dietary Supplements

While dietary supplements cannot be the only approach you utilize to treat your degenerative disc disease they can add to the success of conventional treatments.  Discuss using the following treatments to help naturally manage your symptoms associated with DDD.  Dietary supplements that many patients have found therapeutic include white willow bark and turmeric supplements.  These two supplements are long known for helping reduce pain and inflammation.  Discuss your options with your healthcare professional before adding these to your approach.

Eating Healthy

One of the main causes apart from aging that lead to degenerative disc disease is being overweight.  While you can’t go back and avoid degenerative disc disease now, you can reduce the discomfort by eating healthier and losing weight.  This will make it so your body can more easily hold your spine in a comfortable position.  Also better nutrition will support overall better body health and reduce strain.

Surgery

If other treatments are unsuccessful, your doctor may suggest surgery. A discectomy is a technique that removes the damaged section of the disk. This relieves the strain on your nerves. In some situations, your doctor may decide to remove the entire disk and replace it with an artificial one. After removing the disk, your doctor may fuse (permanently link) the bones in your spine if you have a significant condition.

Degenerative Disc Disease Chiropractor

If you live in or near Glendale, Arizona; We Care Chiropractic can help treat your degenerative disc disease.  While there’s no cure for it you can live better through chiropractic treatment and using the natural treatment approaches listed in this post.  For more information about how we can help you live better with our chiropractic treatments please give us a call at (623) 825-4444