Our spinal discs help to provide mobility to our spinal column, but because they help to handle stress during movement, they are also prone to injury. Recently, we learned that Grammy-award winner Adele was dealing with immense pain due to a disintegrated disc in her spinal column. But what is a disintegrated disc, and how can a spine specialist help to treat these injuries? We explore the topic of disintegrated spinal discs in today’s blog.
What Are Disintegrated Spinal Discs?
Simply put, a disintegrated disc is another term for disc that has suffered some wear and tear as a result of the natural aging process or injury. Here in the US, we typically refer to this type of injury as a degenerative disc. The term for the condition caused by a worn disc is called degenerative disc disease. So for the sake of this blog, the terms disintegrated disc and degenerative disc disease are one in the same.
As we’ve discussed on the blog in the past, degenerative disc disease is one of the most common reasons for back discomfort, due in part to the fact that it oftentimes stems from natural wear and tear on the spine. We can work to build a stronger spine and protect ourselves from expedited degeneration, but mother nature takes a toll on us all. The vast majority of people over the age of 50 would show signs of disc degeneration with an imaging test, but that doesn’t mean that most people are dealing with back pain. Degenerative disc disease can be asymptomatic, and most people don’t begin to notice symptoms until degeneration reaches a more advanced stage.
Aside from natural wear and tear, disc disintegration can be caused or exacerbated as a result of trauma or injury to the spine. An injury that is not properly treated could change how stress is dispersed on the spine, and if discs are forced to handle more strain, they can wear down sooner. This is why poor posture is also a leading factor in disc degeneration. If you have poor posture when you’re seated or standing, more pressure is typically placed on the discs in your neck or lower spine, and that can lead to worsening degeneration.
The natural degeneration of the disc is rarely the underlying cause of pain, but rather what this loss in disc height can lead to. Oftentimes disc degeneration can lead to a number of problems like:
- Bulging Discs
- Herniated Discs
- Nerve Compression
- Spinal Stenosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Scoliosis
- Spondylolisthesis
Your symptoms will be based on the individual issues being caused by your disc degeneration, but oftentimes patients report localized pain, shooting pain, numbness, range of motion restrictions and tenderness along the spinal column.
Preventing And Treating Disintegrated Discs
As you might imagine, prevention is preferred to treatment, but fortunately the techniques for each are very similar. Common prevention and treatment techniques include:
- Posture Improvements – Changing your posture to prevent excess pressure on particular areas of your spine can help prevent continuing degeneration.
- Exercise – Normal exercise can help to strengthen structures and take strain off your spinal column.
- Physical Therapy – Targeted strength training exercises can improve strength and stability in the spinal column.
- Medications – Pain medications can help to calm inflammation and discomfort in a region, and while they aren’t a great stand-alone option, they can be paired with the above treatment for best results.
- Surgery – If you are dealing with significant degeneration and your underlying issues are not responding to conservative care, Dr. Sinicropi and his team can help correct the issue with a surgical procedure.
We wish Adele the best of luck with her recovery, and if you are dealing with any of the symptoms we listed above, consider connecting with a spine specialist like Dr. Sinicropi to learn more about the health of your spine and how you can prevent and treat any discomfort. For more information, reach out to the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
