Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment

Degenerative Disc Disease is a degenerative disease therefore it will continue to worsen as you age and that it is not something you can cure; the best you can hope for is, with treatment your pain and other symptoms are either reduced or eliminated. Listed below are some of the conservative (non-surgical) treatments that can be used for those suffering from Degenerative Disc Disease.

It is very important before engaging in any of these treatments that you first speak to your doctor so that you do not injure yourself further. It is never a good idea to try and diagnosis yourself by using information you find on the internet as many back conditions can present with very similar symptoms.

OTC Medications

The most commonly used medications are NSAID’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) that can help to reduce pain and inflammation. These are Aspirin, naproxen (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, and Nuprin), commonly seen side effects to all of these medications if they are taken over a long enough period of time is upset stomach. If this is brothering you too much you can try taking Tylenol for your pain, while it can also cause an upset stomach it is generally tolerated much better than the NSAID’s.

Hydrotherapy

There are many different activities that can be done in the water, from swimming, walking, jogging, Yoga, and even Pilates. If you have joint pain, are recovering from a surgery, or if you are elderly exercising in the water can be very beneficial as the buoyancy of the water makes it much easier to do your exercises with less pain. Once you are stronger you can also start to incorporate ankle and wrist weights as well as flotation devices that would take you out of the shallow water and into deeper parts of the pool. You can also change it up a bit by adjusting the temperature of your water, cold water will decrease pain and swelling and warm water will decrease pain, soothe sore or tense muscles and increase blood circulation to your injured area.

Core Exercises (Gyrotonics)

Core exercises are exercises that target a specific area of the body; these are your back, neck, and abdominal muscles. While there are simple exercises that can be done in the privacy of your home these will only work those muscles and not the rest of your body. One way around this is by using Gyrotonics. This exercise form combines elements of yoga, dance, gymnastics, swimming, Tai Chi and can be a very good way to increase your back strength, flexibility, and range of motion as well as help to condition the rest of your body in a safe manner.

Aerobics

Once your back pain has been reduced you should look into ways to keep yourself healthy, fit, and active. This can easily be done with aerobics that are low impact and will help to keep up your strength, flexibly, and endurance. Look for exercises that focus on motion, repetition, and duration while avoiding those that are hard on your discs and joints such as running or jogging. Safer exercises are swimming, cycling, and using exercise equipment such as recumbent bikes, treadmills, or elliptical machines.