What is Degenerative Disc Disease?
One of the unfortunate aspects of aging is joint pain. Joint pain can be caused by many different factors but we are going to focus on joint pain that occurs as a result of aging, degenerative arthritis or osteoarthritis. Throughout our life cycle, we are constantly putting stress on our body's structure. This stress can be physical, nutritional, emotional, and mental which contribute to signs and symptoms of joint pain. One of the leading causes of disability in the world and in the USA, is discogenic lower back pain. A common cause of discogenic back pain is degenerative disc disease (DDD), which is not as much a disease as it is a name for the changes that can happen to the spine as we age.
Our discs are made of a tough, rubbery exterior and a soft interior. They sit between the vertebrae to act as shock absorbers. As we age, the spinal discs begin to degenerate. This can cause herniated discs, bulging discs, spinal stenosis, and osteoarthritis.
Degenerative Disc Symptoms
The degeneration of spinal discs may cause no symptoms at all, and symptoms depend on each patient and the severity of their case.
Pain may occur at the site of the affected disc in the back or neck. As the pain is often caused by compressed nerves, this pain can also travel to other areas of the body like the buttocks, arms, and legs. Numbness and tingling in the arms and legs may also be experienced. Pain can range from mild to severe and debilitating.
Degenerative Disc Causes
As mentioned previously, our spines can degenerate as a natural part of aging. Tears in the tougher outer layer of the disc are common as we grow older. and when the discs begin to lose fluid, they become smaller and less flexible.
In addition to aging, other factors that may come into play, including obesity, smoking, repeated physical work, and injury.
Degenerative Disc Treatments
Pain caused by degeneration is often treated with hot or cold packs and an anti inflammatory medication. When disc degeneration causes problems like herniated or bulging discs, spinal stenosis, or osteoarthritis, other forms of treatment may be beneficial. Equilibrium Chiropractic incorporates a integrative approach to helping reduce, manage, and resolved complaints from degenerative disc disease. We create individualized treatment plans for our patients to reduce pain and inflammation , while also maximizing healing and functionality. These protocols safe, effective, researched based, medication and injections free, and non-surgical.
Electrical Muscle Stimulaton/TENS
Is a type of electrotherapy, stimulating muscle contraction using electrical impulses in order strengthen weak muscles, reduce tissue swelling, pain relieve, and helps with wound health.
Intersegmental Traction
An intersegmental traction table, also known as a roller table, is a wonderful modality that chiropractors utilize to re-establish normal range of motion of the body’s spine. The table helps facilitate motion throughout the spine, by mobilizing and massaging tight, stiff muscles and ligaments. The wave like motion stretches the spinal joints while improving movement. It also promotes disc imbibition, the process of water and nutrients going in and waste products coming out the discs.
K-Laser Therapy
This safe, effective, drug free, non-surgical treatment is known as Photobiomodulation Therapy, or Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT). This is a new and exciting treatment offered to patients with neck pain generated from the ligaments, tendons, muscles, discs, and nerves. K-Laser therapy applies pulsed light frequencies to produce a combination of pain relief, inflammation reduction while accelerating the regeneration of tissues and increasing cellular energy.
Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression
Spinal Decompression is a safe, effective, and non-surgical treatment for treating acute and chronic neck pain, lower back pain, facet syndrome, pinched nerves and sciatica caused by bulging, herniated, protruding and degenerated discs. Non-surgical spinal decompression produces a negative pressure within the intervertebral disc, creating a vacuum effect that pulls fluid and nutrients to help maintain and promote healing of the intervertebral discs.
Myofascial Release Therapy(MFR)/IASTM
Instrumental assisted soft tissue mobilization is a myofascial release therapy produces controlled microtrauma to the soft tissue to stimulate a local inflammatory response. MFR is utilized to reduce musculoskeletal pain, restore proper muscle movement and mobility, reduce inflammation, increase collagen production, and speed up recovery time.
Chiropractic Spinal Manipulations aka “The Adjustment”
Chiropractic care is the largest complementary alternative medicine (CAM) care system utilized by patient for a wide range of conditions. Chiropractic physicians approach your health and well-being holistically, as it is essential to truly understanding the underlying issues that are causing your health to be less than optimal. One common root cause of dysfunction that can manifest a condition is spine misalignment. This is because poor spine alignment and spinal decay leads to reduced nerve signaling.
Chiropractic physicians are healthcare professionals trained in the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions ailing the general population. Chiropractic care is one of the safest forms of healthcare and has an enviable healthcare safety record. Chiropractic care is effective, safe, non-invasive, non-surgical, and reduces the need of medication. Some of the most documented benefits of chiropractic care are reduced headache symptoms, improved neck pain and back pain, reduces osteoarthritis symptoms, reduces reliance of dangerous opioid pain relievers and anti-inflammatories medication, lessens scoliosis symptoms, improves posture, increases athletic performance, helps with sleep, and improves energy.