Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative disc disease affects nearly every person as they age, but some have mild changes with few symptoms, while others live with excruciating, chronic back pain. When you need help from the pain, call Alexis Tracy, DO, at Somerset Spine & Nerve in Medford, Oregon. Dr. Tracy specializes in physical medicine and minimally invasive interventional techniques, helping each person get pain relief and regain a more active life without surgery. Don’t wait to seek help for your neck or back pain. Call the office or request an appointment online today.

What is degenerative disc disease?

Degenerative disc disease develops as the discs between vertebrae gradually deteriorate. This condition occurs naturally because the stress of daily movement leads to wear-and-tear on the discs.

Each disc also loses moisture as you age, allowing it to collapse and lose its ability to absorb shock and serve as a protective cushion. 

Without healthy discs, the vertebral bones can rub together or slip out of place, bone spurs and arthritis may develop, and spinal nerves often become pinched.

As the discs degenerate, endplates between the vertebral bone and discs deteriorate, damaging nerves inside the vertebrae.

What symptoms does degenerative disc disease cause?

Degenerative disc disease causes neck or lower back pain, depending on the disc’s location. Pain develops as the spine loses the support usually provided by the disc.

Spinal instability pinches the nerves and places extra stress on the surrounding muscles. As a result, the nerves and muscles become irritated and inflamed, and you may experience painful muscle spasms.

Pinched nerves can cause spinal pain, tingling, and burning sensations in the arms and legs, and severe nerve damage may cause numbness instead of pain.

How is degenerative disc disease treated?

Your Somerset Spine & Pain provider completes an in-depth physical exam and may need imaging like an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI to view the spinal structures. They may also complete electrodiagnostic testing to evaluate nerve function.

After diagnosing degenerative disc disease, your treatment begins with nonsurgical therapies, such as anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy. If your pain doesn’t improve with conservative treatments, you can depend on Dr. Tracy’s expertise in interventional procedures.

Interventional therapies ease pain using numerous minimally invasive techniques, including:

• Joint injections
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
• Stem cell injections
• Epidural steroid injections
• Nerve blocks
• Selective nerve root blocks
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Intracept® procedure

Injections containing corticosteroids reduce inflammation, regenerative PRP and stem cell injections promote tissue healing, while nerve blocks and radiofrequency ablation stop pain signals from traveling through nerves.

The Intracept procedure provides long-lasting relief from vertebrogenic pain caused by endplate damage. Dr. Tracy uses real-time X-ray imaging to guide a slim, hollow tube into the vertebra and send radiofrequency energy into the affected nerves, creating a wound that stops nerve signals. 

Relief from ongoing back or neck pain is available at Somerset Spine & Nerve. Call the office or use online booking to schedule an appointment today.