Why Your Lower Back Discs Wear Out (And What To Do)

Image by Orthopedic & Sport Medicine Center of Oregon

Understanding Lower Back Disc Degeneration

Do you ever feel a nagging ache or stiffness in your lower back? It could be due to a common condition called lumbar degenerative disc disease. This happens when the natural "cushions" between the bones in your lower back, called discs, start to wear down over time. These discs usually act like shock absorbers and help your spine move freely.

When these discs wear out, it can lead to pain, stiffness, numbness, tingling, or even weakness in your lower back, buttocks, and legs.

What Causes It?

We don't always know the exact reason why someone develops lumbar degenerative disc disease, but several things can play a part:

1. Aging: As we get older, our discs naturally lose water, becoming thinner and less flexible. This makes them more likely to tear or crack.
2. Injury: A sudden fall, accident, or sports injury can damage the discs, leading to pain and swelling.
3. Genetics: Some people might be more likely to have weaker or more fragile discs because of their genes.
4. Lifestyle: Habits like smoking, being overweight, poor posture, and not exercising enough can all affect how healthy and well your discs work.

How Is It Treated?

The treatment for lumbar degenerative disc disease depends on how bad your symptoms are and how much they affect your daily life. Here are some common approaches:

1. Medications: Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or naproxen can help reduce pain and swelling. Sometimes, doctors might prescribe stronger medications like steroids, muscle relaxers, or even opioids.
2. Physical therapy: A physical therapist can show you exercises and stretches to strengthen the muscles that support your spine. This can improve your flexibility, correct your posture, and take pressure off your nerves. They might also use heat, ice, massage, or other techniques to relieve pain and muscle spasms. The exercises a physical therapist provides often depend on your pain level (if I am not mistaken). Here are some of the exercises I did during my physical therapy at Makati Medical Center before the pandemic:
• Cat and Camel
• Bicycle Crunch
• Crunches
• Elbow Plank
• Plank with Opposite Arm and Leg Lift
• Scissors and Flutter Kicks (place hands palms down under the lower back for support)
• Leg Crossover Stretch
• Hamstring Stretch (with a towel)
• Glute Bridge
• Bicycle Crunch (repeated)
• Spinal Decompression (a machine that gently stretches the spine to relieve pressure on discs and nerves)
3. Injections: Your doctor might inject medications, such as corticosteroids or anesthetics, directly into the affected area. These help reduce swelling and pain, but their effects are usually temporary and might need to be repeated.
4. Surgery: If other treatments don't provide enough relief, surgery might be an option. This could involve removing part of a damaged disc, fusing two or more spinal bones together, or replacing a disc with an artificial one. It's important to know that surgery has risks and complications, and it doesn't always guarantee a complete fix. When I inquired about the cost of surgery, my doctor estimated around 1 million Philippine Pesos, which led me to choose physical therapy instead.

Living with lumbar degenerative disc disease can be tough, but with the right diagnosis and treatment, many people find ways to manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. If you have ongoing or severe lower back pain, it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor for a proper check-up and to discuss a treatment plan that's right for you.

Everything here is for educational and informational purposes only. It's not a substitute for professional advice. If you choose to act on any information from this post, you're doing so at your own risk. Please read my full disclaimers.

Sources:

1. Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Degenerative disk disease: Causes, symptoms & treatment [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16912-degenerative-disk-disease
2. Felman, A. (n.d.). Degenerative disc disease: Causes and treatment [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266630
3. Arthritis Foundation. (n.d.). Degenerative disc disease [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/degenerative-disc-disease
4. Felman, A. (n.d.). Degenerative disc disease: Causes and treatment [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266630
5. William C. Shiel Jr. (n.d.). Degenerative disc disease: Causes, symptoms, treatment, medications, prevention [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.medicinenet.com/degenerative_disc/article.htm
6. Dube, MPH, B. (2023, May 9). What is degenerative disc disease? [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.health.com/degenerative-disc-disease-overview-7489248
7. Orthosportsmed. (2019, December 11). What is degenerative disc disease? [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://orthosportsmed.com/what-is-degenerative-disc-disease/