Wondering why you have a nagging pain in your back or neck? Your symptoms could be caused by changes in the discs in your spine, the rubbery structures that cushion your vertebrae. Over time, spinal discs may break down, or degenerate, due to aging, injuries, or chronic subluxations. Chiropractic Care offers an effective way to help with DDD and DJD.  

What Causes Degenerative Disc Disease?

Years of moving, twist, bending, running, and jumping take a toll on your spinal discs and can be a factor in degenerative disc disease.  Luckily, this diagnosis is not a life-sentence of pain, discomfort, and medications.  Chiropractic Care could be your best option when it comes to degenerative disc disease. 

Water inside the discs helps keep them plump and healthy. As the water content decreases with lifestyle factors, the discs become flatter and don't provide as much cushioning when you bend, lift, or move.

Cracks and tears in discs are more likely to happen as discs flatten and dry out. Herniated discs can occur if the inner, jelly-like center of the disc protrudes through a tear in the tougher outer layer. Bulging discs press on nerves, triggering pain.

Lifestyle factors are the main cause of degenerative disc disease; poor diet, dehydration, obesity, sedentary lifestyle.  We have also seen the condition worsen when someone forgoes chiropractic care.  It's always best to get your spine and nervous system checked BEFORE symptoms arise because even though Chiropractic Care can help with the symptoms of degenerative disc disease, nothing can reverse the degeneration.  

Degenerative disc disease symptoms range from mild to severe and can come and go. Symptoms may include:

• Back or Neck Pain
• Neck or Back Stiffness
• Trouble Bending or Twisting
• Numbness and Tingling in Arms or Legs, Depending on the Location of the Problem Disc
• Sciatica

Chiropractic Care can help with Degenerative Disc Disease 

Your chiropractor offers several treatments that will reduce pain and stiffness, including:

• Chiropractic Adjustments. Spinal manipulation realigns the vertebrae in your neck or back, improving mobility and decreasing pain and stiffness.
• Flexion-Distraction Therapy. Conducted on a special moving table, this therapy stretches the spine, improves blood flow to the discs, reduces pressure on the discs and tissues, and decreases bulging if you have a herniated disc.
• SoftWave Therapy. Softwave helps stimulate the natural healing properties of your body by recruiting stem cells, promoting angiogenesis and increasing blood flow.  Softwave also decreases pain and inflammation immediately.  Most people see a 30-50% reduction in pain in just their first visit.  
• Trigger Point Therapy. Trigger point therapy targets the hard knots in the muscles that can develop due to degenerative disc disease. Your chiropractor applies steady pressure that loosens and stretches the tight fibers in the muscle.

Depending on the severity of your degeneration, the doctors at Renegade Health Center will analyze your structural X-rays to determine how we can assist you and your degenerative disc disease best.  

Do you need help with your degenerative disc disease symptoms? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the chiropractor.