does degenerative disc disease get worse?
168873
Disc degeneration may cause no symptoms, or the pain may be so intense that the individual cannot continue with their daily activities. The condition starts with damage to the spine, but in time, symptoms can affect other parts of the body. Symptoms usually get worse with age.
684430
However, with severe degenerative disc disease, the normal stability of a spine can become lax and lead to abnormal weakness in certain areas. Instability can both lead to pain as well as injury to the spinal cord or spinal nerves, both of which can cause neurological symptoms.
1018836
Studies have shown that MRI findings of mild or significant disc degeneration are found on scans of patients with severe pain and minimal or no pain. Additionally, many painful conditions may not show up on an MRI, such as a tear in the disc's outer rings or some cases of herniated discs.
886611
This is not a “disease” in the traditional sense of the world. This is not a life and death situation, and you cannot die from degenerative disc disease. This can, however, be a quality of life issue. While degenerative discs are not always associated with pain, they can be.
1078649
The pain tends to be intermittent, and although at times the pain may seem to be getting worse, the painful symptoms are generally not progressive. While the disc degeneration will progress, the low back pain and other symptoms do not tend to get worse with the progression of the degeneration.
200695
In between each vertebra, you have a tough, spongy disc that acts as a shock absorber. Over time, these discs wear down as part of a process called degenerative disc disease. Disc desiccation is one of the most common features of degenerative disc disease. It refers to the dehydration of your discs.
198715
Degeneration can cause the outer layer to tear, resulting in inner fluid leaking out of the disc. This inner fluid contains inflammatory proteins that may cause inflammation in the surrounding structures.
544547
Answer: Degenerative disc disease (DDD) can start in just one of your intervertebral discs. From there, it can spread, but it doesn't spread like a cold, with the "disease" jumping from disc to disc.
112124
Over time, injuries and genetic factors can lead to some of them degenerating. They dry out and shrink. This can happen to one or more discs over time. This leads to your spine getting shorter, making you lose height.
1117863
Work Can Contribute to Poor Back Health The name itself, Degenerative Disc Disease, may cause an employer to assume the condition is not work related. However, this is not always the case. Because we all have natural degeneration of the spine, we all are at risk for DDD.
49690
Degenerative disc disease (DDD) affects the discs that separate the spine bones. As you age, the spine begins to show signs of wear and tear as the discs dry out and shrink. These age-related changes can lead to arthritis, disc herniation, or spinal stenosis. Pressure on the spinal cord and nerves may cause pain.
344160
As you age, your intervertebral discs begin to degenerate. This causes the discs in your spine to grow thin and collapse. This change to the spine can alter your neck's natural curvature and cause an imbalance due to the weight of your head. Degenerative disc disease usually increases in severity as you get older.
174749
Disc degeneration should not cause symptoms of bowel/bladder dysfunction, fever with back pain, unexplained and rapid weight loss, or intense stomach pain. These symptoms are suggestive of more serious conditions and should receive prompt medical attention. In This Article: Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)
733075
While disc degeneration can't be reversed, there is evidence that exercise, lifestyle changes and careful management of your back pain can contribute to better quality of life.
565050
Discs often degenerate with age causing vertebrae to sit closer together. This is part of the reason we shrink with age. Degenerative discs can lead to pain via multiple pathways. Spinal stenosis is another condition of the spine where the central canal diameter is reduced much like a pipe that becomes clogged.
583759
Chiropractic Treatments for Degenerative Disc Disease The chiropractor may also work on improving the function of the intervertebral discs—but that's only if you do not have advanced disc degeneration. To help treat your DDD symptoms, your chiropractor may use spinal manipulation (also called spinal adjustment).
497466
A degenerating spinal disc does not always lead to pain or other symptoms. Because the disc itself has very little innervation, pain usually occurs when the degenerating disc affects other structures in the spine (such as muscles, joint, or nerve roots).