Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative Disc Treatment

You may not feel the wear and tear on your spine as you age. However, the pain can travel down your arms or legs if the disc which cushions your vertebrae shrinks, bulges, or tears and pinches a nerve root.

You need to find the original source of pain before identifying and progressively treating related symptoms.

At Pain Care, LLC, we have physicians with board certifications in pain management, physical medicine & rehabilitation, anesthesiology, and addiction medicine. Our team evaluates every patient thoroughly to get a detailed history, trace the onset of pain, determine the cause, and target treatment for multiple issues.

We treat YOU, the patient, not a diagnostic image. Our team carefully considers each patient’s personal goals and lifestyle to make well-informed treatment recommendations ─ making every effort to delay or prevent major spine surgery, which can be risky with a long recovery.

To schedule a consultation with one of our ─ Dr. Vincent Galan, Dr. Paul Chang, Dr. Christopher Andriano, Dr. Mitchell Donner, or Dr. Clinton Wilkinson ─ please call one of our six Georgia locations:

New patients may also schedule an appointment at the following link: https://phreesia.me/PainCare

Signs and Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative disc disease refers to the normal deterioration of our spine as we age. Repetitive stress can cause the discs that cushion the bones in our spine (vertebrae) to shrink, become less flexible, and bulge or tear.

• This progressive deterioration often happens without symptoms.
• If a bulging or herniated disc pinches a nerve root in the spine, it can cause pain at the site and traveling symptoms that run down the nerve.
• This can include pain, numbness, muscle weakness, and burning sensations in the shoulders, arms, hands, hips, thighs, legs, or feet.
  
  

What Causes Degenerative Disc Disease?

• Normal wear and tear: Over time, spinal discs become less flexible and more prone to cracks and tears
• Traumatic impact: The force of a car accident or a collision during sports activity
• Heavy lifting: Manual labor that requires loading, unloading, or moving heavy objects
  
  

Degenerative Disc Disease Diagnosis

Degenerative disc disease may cause pure back pain or travel down the legs or arms. To ensure a proper diagnosis, we thoroughly examine every patient to understand and differentiate what is causing pain and how to manage it.

Our process is thorough:

• Patient history
• Physical examination
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to reveal detailed images of internal structures
  
  

We will evaluate the complete picture to ensure we are treating the patient and not just what shows up in an MRI.

Differentiated Approach Based on Symptoms

Most patients with degenerative disc disease have multiple related problems. For instance, if a disc degenerates, your facet joints, which allow your back and neck to bend forward and backward, may also be compromised.

There is an algorithm based on symptoms; we use to differentiate the origin of pain.

• Is the pain coming from the front or the back of the spine?
• Is it worse when you bow forward, bend backward, or twist?
• Is it difficult to walk?
  
  

Once we pinpoint and address the worst symptoms, we can treat additional problems that come to light. For example, once you are comfortable bending forward, you may feel discomfort standing still.

Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment

We can’t stop the effects of aging; however, we can take steps to improve our quality of life.

• Medication – When used responsibly, over-the-counter and prescription drugs can effectively control inflammation and help manage pain.
• Physical therapy – Keeping the spine as flexible as possible while building up the muscles that support it can be tremendously helpful for neck and back pain.
• Epidural steroid injections – A steroid with a numbing agent, injected into the precise space around your spinal nerves causing symptoms, can block pain signals.
• Dehydrated disc material ─ Pure back pain may be treated with dehydrated disc material inserted into the disc for cushioning. This may be repeated in one to two years as needed. • Minimally invasive surgery – Outpatient surgery may be recommended to remove a portion of a damaged disc. Several procedures can provide relief without many risks associated with open spine surgery.
  
  

Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment in Georgia

Less than five percent of patients with back pain need surgery. At Pain Care, LLC, we help people manage all kinds of chronic pain, including nerve pain, with noninvasive and minimally invasive treatments. We make every effort to delay or prevent the need for major spine surgery, which can be risky with a long recovery. Our physicians ─ Dr. Vincent Galan, Dr. Paul Chang, Dr. Christopher Andriano, Dr. Mitchell Donner, or Dr. Clinton Wilkinson ─ have the expertise and the technology to diagnose and treat degenerative disc disease pain and discomfort. Our progressive approach works with you to restore function so you can get back to the life you want to live.

To schedule a consultation with one of our specialists, please call one of our six Georgia locations:

New patients may also schedule an appointment at the following link: https://phreesia.me/PainCare