Spine surgery helps many people relieve chronic pain and other symptoms. But sometimes pain can continue or come back after surgery. In those instances, revision surgery may help. Here’s when we typically recommend revision surgery.
Despite the name, degenerative disc disease is not actually a progressive disease in the spine. It simply describes the process of natural disc degeneration as we age. Almost everybody will experience some disc degeneration as they get older, but only those with pain, weakness or numbness are diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. Today, we’ll take a closer look at the condition, and how it is treated.
Wear and tear over the years takes a toll on your back, and everyone will experience some natural degeneration. Although degeneration is a natural process, your back also inherently works to relieve pain and discomfort from the degeneration. This process, known as the degenerative cascade, was first described by Dr. William H. Kirkaldy-Willis. He describes the process in three stages:
So while the body acts as a natural pain reliever, even infrequent bouts of pain can be debilitating, and many people seek treatment for their degeneration. Also, disc degeneration can cause other painful conditions, so it’s worth it to see a specialist if symptoms like pain, weakness, tingling, numbness or shooting discomfort persist.
Doctors use a multi-faceted approach to treat degenerative disc disease. Treating the condition usually occurs with three intervention strategies:
If pain and discomfort still persist after 3-6 months, surgery may be the best option. There are a number of different operations that can provide relief, from minimally invasive spinal fusion to disc replacement. Your doctor can walk you all of your options should conservative treatment prove ineffective.
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