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Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment for Low Back Pain

Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment for Low Back Pain

A common diagnosis, which is often given to patients with back pain, is called degenerative disc disease. This diagnosis can be misleading and is often related to age. 

Degenerative Disc Disease

A study in 2014 looked at normal people with no pain reported in their lower backs. Those people underwent imaging studies to look at the “ health” of the disc. This study found that 37% of 20 year olds, 80% of 50 year olds, and 96% of 80 year olds had disc degeneration. 

These findings were on people WITHOUT PAIN with the cause of degeneration likely due to normal aging the same way skin begins to wrinkle. 

Low Back Pain – When to Pay Attention

What this study shows is that just because you have dysfunction in a structure like the vertebral discs does not mean there will be symptoms. When it comes to low back pain there are so many various factors that can influence the symptoms. Sleep, mobility, nutrition, general health, and strength are only a few factors that influence low back pain. 

These factors slowly impact the overall health of the spine and discs which can result in an MRI indicating disc degeneration. For many people reading this diagnosis is frightening and causes people to look for an immediate fix or unnecessary surgery. 

Most times these disc bulges or degeneration can resolve or become asymptomatic without surgery. 

Find Treatment For Degenerative Disc Disease 

Treatment for degenerative disc disease can be done without ever having to undergo surgery. It consists of a range of modalities and exercises to reduce pain and muscle spasms while increasing mobility and overall strength. 

Contact Moriarty Physical Therapy for Degenerative Disc Treatment

Degenerative Disc Disease Care

The easiest thing to do is to schedule an appointment with a trusted physical therapist. At Moriarty Physical Therapy, we are able to evaluate the whole body and find the primary causes of pain. We will then create a plan of attack to get the symptoms to go away. Fill out the appointment form and we will be in touch shortly!

Schedule a FREE 15-minute Exploration Visit

Come visit one of our physical therapy clinics in New York or North Carolina and one of our Doctors of Physical Therapy will do a 15-minute consultation to see if physical therapy is right for you. In the consultation, we’ll help determine the source of pain and movement restrictions to see if you would benefit from physical therapy or might need the assistance of another healthcare professional. If so, we’ll make a referral and help speed up achieving your health goal.

You have nothing to lose; the screening is free! And if physical therapy could help you, we can perform the examination right then–even without a prescription–with Direct Access (covered by insurance).

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