Degenerative Disc Disease

Bones, joints and muscles
1

I've been suffering with lower back and hip pain for the last 6 months and thought it might be the start of the menopause. I'm 47 and quite tall, I've had some blood tests and an x-ray on my lower back. My GP said the x-ray showed degenerative disc disease in 3 or 4 of my lower discs, he has refered me for physio. He prescribed me Naproxen which is an anti inflammatory and as soon as I started taking it the pain went, which was great! But as soon as I stopped the pain came back!

I can't take anti inflammatorys long term indefinitely as they are bad for the stomach and blood pressure and my GP says I should try and manage the pain with exercise ( hence the physio) and pain killers like paracetamol or something stronger if I need it.

I would appreciate any advice anyone can give me about this condition as I don't know much about it except that its a sign of ageing and wear and tear and that the liquid between the discs has reduced.

How does physio help with the pain? I'm a bit scared about the future and what kind of quality of life I might have as I'm only 47 and could live another 30/40 years or more (my Nan is 98) how will my back cope with that if its generated already?!

Is this a common condition and can anyone who's also got it tell me how to manage the pain and what I can do to help myself?

I know these are a lot of questions but I don't really know what I'm dealing with. I think I need to do some research on the internet, but there's nothing as good as getting input from other people also suffering from this.

2

Hi Cheryl physio strengthens your core muscles so takes the strain off the affected area also by exercising the muscles in that area it stops you tensing (protecting) your painful area.

Im 43 and had a discectomy and a microdissection on l4 l5 and just had a spinal cord stimulator fitted.Dont worry about your future with pain meds + physio it seems like your in control thats what you have to do stay in control of your pain dont let your pain control you x

3

Hi Cheryl, I'm 48 and have degenerative disc disease. The pain can be caused my desiccation of the disc, causing bone to rub on bone, or chemicals from the inside of the disc irritating nerves.

I've had this since I was 40, so I know it's not due to the menopause.

Physio can help as it can help with posture, and keeping the muscles soft. Back ache is often due to muscle spasms.

I was also given naproxen but was advised not to take it without a stomach medication like omeprazole. I'm now on pregablin ( for nerve pain), co codamol and morphine. I find a hot water bottle good for lower back pain. My main problem is sciatic pain, and after 7 years having non invasive treatment, I'm now due a spinal fusion next week.

Lots of people have degenerative discs as they get older, and many have no pain, or they have pain if they do gardening or lift something heavy.

Hope you can find some answers and get some relief.

4

Hi Cheryl!

I am 33 and have the same fear for quality of life in future. I was diagnosed with mild LS scoliosis in my 13s and now it just got much worse to severe THL scoliosis followed by degenerative disease of whole spine. Also I have C6/C7 fusion. I was taking anti-inflammatory injections which helped a lot with my sciatica, but for last 8 months I am taking narcotic pills and sedatives so I can cope with chronic pain. The exercise and regular swimming (I do it 6 day per week, up to 3 hours per day) are crucial I think since it helped me a lot for cervical and trhoracic region. However, I still feel chronic pain in LS region and both legs, it is annoying rarely sharp.  I did not make any decisions re surgery because it has no guarantee that will help. First its not sure whether it would help with one or pair of discs that are affected and causing trouble with LS region and legs, since its not just a degenerative disease but it is scoliosis too and the surger may go wrong. Also, one day it may help and another day it may start again with another disc since whole spine is affected with denegerative disease and I do not intend to spend my whole life at surgeries. I expect to live like that till 50s and then see what happens with my ability to work; now I have limited ability to work but fortunately my works is intellectual one and does not require physical strength. However, sitting and not moving for hours has its price too. Physio can be very helpful, especially when mixed with other methods but exercise and discipline in that is crucial.

5

Hello Cheryl25598..

I'm Jason and I have the same problems as you, degenerative

disc disease, or I call it wear and tear. I have 4 discs also. Its taken me just about two years to see a surgeon, and I only see him

last Thursday.. That's after all sorts of medications, facet joint

injections, physio and pain clinics, tens machines..Anyway the

surgeon said he is reluctant to opparate because as it is such a

advasive procedure for someone of only 45 years old and it is

not guaranteed to work, and a high risk of infection as well. But not all is lost, because there is a procedure, a electrical implant or

electrode which is inserted via a injection, which I am now

waiting to have..I don't know the ins and outs of how it works

but if it helps even a little bit because I know the pain you can be

in. It is rear in people are age, that is the frightening bit..To manage the pain I found I got a bit of pain releaf with hot patches or a

hot water bottle on my lumber area.. I don't know if physio will

help you, I hope it will. I will try and answer anymore questions if

I can. And all the best..... Jason..

6

Hi everyone, thanks for your input and advice. I've got to book an appointment for physio very soon, I've also decided to buy a memory foam mattress. I went away recently and the place we stayed at had a memory foam mattress on the bed, I noticed that for the week we stayed there my back ache wasn't as bad, it improved quite a bit! My parents and Brother have a memory foam mattress on their beds and they said they are really good, and other people I've spoken to said their backache disappeared practically over night, it was like a miracle!

So we have ordered a memory foam mattress, as I think anything is worth a try.

Do any of you have a memory foam mattress and what do you think of them?

7

Hi Cheryl, Ive been told to take pain killers and since septemebr last year i feel no relief. A doctor at the hospital where i stayed for 5 days told me the only thing that can sucre degenative disc problems is an operation, But that comes with risks and no gaurnatee or pain relief. So i dont want to put a downer on it, asi am suffering from Stenosis in the neck and degenative in lumber spine which is permatly there day in day out. The only relief i get is to culr my legs up when laying on side and place a pillow between my legs. Problem there is i move when asleep and wake myself in pain from back. My physio tells me there are exrecises but i have tried them and they hurt so he advised me to stop. Walking on flat ground is ok as long as its on turf and not a hard surface, but down hill OUCH. Walking up hill apparently opens the vertebra and takes pressure of any nerves that could be compressed. Not found that to be true so i stick to flat surfaces. As i am determined not to let this control my life. Im 57 now feeling like 97 some days. Keep smiling Cherly Good luck and best wishes.

Kindest regards

John

8

Hi hunny I also suffer with this too! I was diagnosed with ddd,spondylosis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia at 29 but had back pain since 3yo! I have tried physio many times over the years and always made my pain worse! I have been pretty much housebound since April 2013 and use crutches to walk as can't walk without them anymore because of pain in my hips,back, and legs sometimes give way! I am going to be having facet joint injections in July so praying they help me! X

9

Hi, Ive had a couple of sessions of physio which has helped a bit and we bought a memory foam mattress but I've found that the mattress hasnt really made any difference at all!! We went on holiday recently and the mattress on the bed was quite hard but I found that my back seemed much better! So have I bought the wrong mattress? Instead of getting a memory foam mattress should I in fact have bought an Orthopaedic mattress instead?!

It's all so confusing! Can anyone advise me please? I've also had to resign from my job as there was a lot of bending and lifting involved which just aggravated my back pain, so now I've got to find something less physical, although I can't sit down for long periods either!

I sometimes get a tingly feeling in my thighs which I think maybe a trapped nerve. It seems to be worse if I've been lying on my stomach. First couple of hours in the morning are the worst for me, so I try and do my physio exercises before I get out of bed. During the night I quite often get lower back pain and hip pain. At the moment I'm trying not to take too much pain relief but sometimes I have no choice. I find a hot water bottle on my lower back sometimes helps.

Im only 47 and I am worried a bit about it getting worse as I get older and my mobility! It can be very depressing sometimes especially when you get up to walk and suddenly you feel like your legs are going to give way! :-(