Degenerative Disc Disease Management with Our Lubbock Chiropractor

Most of us experience aches and pains as we age. However, our chiropractic team at Lubbock Advanced Physical Medicine believes chronic pain isn't necessarily a requirement for growing older. That's why we proudly offer a range of services to help people avoid, manage, and relieve common age-related conditions, including degenerative disc disease.

Understanding Degenerative Disc Disease

The vertebral discs in your back are important for spinal mobility, shock absorption, and stability. As these discs age, they lose some of their elasticity and moisture.

In some people, the age-related "wear and tear" becomes so significant that the discs begin to degrade enough for the space between the adjacent bones to narrow. This can lead to painful bone-on-bone contact or spinal nerve root compression (interestingly, it's not usually the degenerated discs themselves that cause pain, which don't typically have a lot of innervation to begin with).

Risk factors include a prior back injury, repetitive movement, poor nutrition, smoking, obesity, and physically demanding jobs.

Signs and Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease

Not everyone with degenerated discs will have signs or symptoms, but if they do, they often experience:

• Pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms at the level of the degenerated discs
• Pain that's worse when sitting, bending, lifting, or twisting
• Numbness, tingling, and pain in an arm or leg innervated by a nearby compressed nerve

How Our Chiropractor Manages Degenerative Disc Disease

Many treatments offered by our chiropractor can help you find relief from your degenerative disc disease. These include:

• Chiropractic adjustments and non-surgical spinal traction to maximize joint alignment and reduce pressure on injured discs and nerves
• Physical exercises to improve core stabilization and trunk muscle strength/endurance
• Postural re-education and body mechanics training to avoid problematic postures and movements

Wondering if Your Back Pain is Caused by Degenerative Disc Disease?

If you live near Lubbock, TX, and are tired of dealing with your back pain and dysfunction, call Lubbock Advanced Physical Medicine at (806) 791-3399 to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Korey Kothmann.

Do you know someone who has received chiropractic care for degenerative disc disease? How was their experience? Let us know in the comments.