Degenerative lumbar disc disease occurs when the cushion between the vertebrae of the spine starts to wear away, this disease is more common in older people. After the age of 40, most people experience degeneration of the spine. If this condition is diagnosed at the right time, the right treatment will help relieve pain and increase your mobility. What is meant by degenerative lumbar disc? This complication occurs when the spinal disc wears out and disappears. The cushions between the vertebrae of the spine act as shock absorbers, allowing you to move, twist and bend with ease. All people's spinal discs degenerate over time, and this is a natural part of everyone's aging process. When the cushions between the bones of the spine are lost, the bones pull on each other, eventually causing pain. Among the other possible problems that occur following such conditions, the following can be mentioned: - Scoliosis in adults (creating a curve in the spine) - disc herniation (disc protrusion, disc slippage and rupture) - Spinal canal stenosis (narrowing of the space around the spine) - Spondylolisthesis (movement of vertebrae in and out of place) Is it a common disease? As we said, almost all people experience disc degeneration after the age of 40, even they may not have any symptoms. Only about 5% of adults may experience back pain. What kind of people get this disease? This complication occurs more in the elderly. Some of the risk factors that increase the possibility of this disease are as follows: - Acute injuries such as falling down - Obesity - Working in a physically demanding job - smoking - Women (women are more prone to degenerative disc disease than men) What are the symptoms? One of the most common symptoms of this condition is neck pain and back pain. You may experience pain as: - Going back and forth and each time the pain continues for weeks or months. - Leads to numbness or tingling in your hands and feet. - Pain spreads to lower hips and back. - Worse with bending, sitting, and standing. What is the cause of degenerative lumbar disc disease? As we said, disc degeneration is a natural part of the aging process, especially people after the age of 40 experience this condition. In general, this complication occurs in such conditions: ### disk dry Discs have a soft core that contains water. With age, the disc loses this central part, resulting in the disc becoming thinner and not absorbing as much impact as it used to. ### tear or crack in the disc Minor injuries cause cracks or tears in the spinal disc. Rupture is often painful even if it is partial. If the outer wall of the disc cracks, there is a possibility of disc herniation and it causes pressure on the spinal nerve. What is the pain caused by degenerative lumbar disc disease? You may feel the pain caused by this disease as follows: - There is a possibility of pain in the neck or lower back and it can be mild to severe. - Worse after activities such as twisting, bending, or lifting. - There is a possibility of spreading the pain in the hands, hips and legs. - There is a possibility that the pain will worsen with time. How is this disease diagnosed? When you see a pain specialist you will first be asked to describe your symptoms. Next, the doctor will recommend imaging tests such as MRI, X-ray or CT scan to confirm the diagnosis. Using these diagnostic methods, the condition of the disk can be seen better. The doctor performs a physical examination to check such things: - nervous function - pain level - power check What treatment solutions are there? The pain specialist tries to treat the patient in non-invasive or minimally invasive ways. Possible treatment strategies include the following: - Physiotherapy including strengthening and stretching exercises - Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants or steroids - steroid injection, injection of medicine near spinal nerves, joint or disc to reduce pain and inflammation - Radiofrequency to burn the sensory nerve and prevent the pain signal to the brain Is there a method for home treatment? Some people experience pain relief by doing home remedies. With the help of home remedies, the pain can be relieved in a short period of time. Home remedies that help control pain are as follows: ### Exercise Activities such as walking or swimming strengthen the back muscles and provide some pain relief. For more information, read the exercise article after lumbar disc surgery. ### Using hot and cold compresses Using ice packs or warm pads every 10 to 15 minutes for three to four times during the day reduces inflammation and pain. ### Do stretching movements Doing yoga exercises and stretching exercises during the day helps to improve body posture. Is surgery necessary? Many patients with degenerative lumbar disc disease do not need surgery; But if you've tried all non-surgical methods and haven't gotten better, surgery may finally be a good option for you.