Neck and/or back pain… one day you wake up and realize it’s been there for months, and it’s not getting any better. Chronic back pain and chronic neck pain have a wide variety of causes, from back pain caused by mold to degenerative disc disease. Making sure you are correctly diagnosed is the first step.
When you go to the doctors for back pain, typically the first step is to mask the pain rather than determine the root cause of the pain in your neck or back.
Typical Treatment Of Neck & Back Pain
Most people will start off seeing their primary care provider. One more medications such NSAIDs (Mobic, Celebrex, Naprosyn), steroids (Medrol), and muscle relaxers (Flexeril, Rabaxin, Soma) may be prescribed. If the pain is severe enough, medications such as opioids (Vicodin, Oxycontin, Ultram) may be prescribed as well.
All of this may be effective for short-term pain relief and for new conditions that heal quickly, but it’s a bandaid at best for pain lasting several months or more (more on this later).
Short-Term Pain Relief Is Not Enough For Degenerative Disc Disease
Masking the pain from degenerative disc disease may be nice at first, but it is a band-aid. Eventually, your neck or back pain will return. So, you end up back at the doctor with the same complaint, and the next step is usually either physical therapy or chiropractic (if you’re lucky), or if it’s moderate to severe, most people will end up seeing an orthopedic specialist (general orthopedic surgeon, spine surgeon), pain management specialist, or arthritis specialist.
Regardless of specialty, having x-rays and even an MRI done is a usual part of the workup.
And more times than not, one of the findings that shows up on the report (especially if you’re over 40) is something called “degenerative disc disease” or DDD for short.
Yes, it’s normal to see or hear that term and think, “OMG, my spine is degenerating?! It’s breaking down and falling apart?!”
In an overwhelming majority of cases, this is certainly not happening. Not like it sounds anyway.
Correctly Diagnosing Degenerative Disc Disease
Here’s the technical criteria for degenerative disc disease, or DDD to be diagnosed. It only has two components.
- Pain
- Imaging (x-ray, MRI, CT scan) findings showing structural changes such as narrowed disc space, disc bulges or herniations, bone spurs, and/or spinal misalignment or postural changes.
That’s it.
Yes, some of those things don’t sound too good, but the fact is that they are all relatively normal and expected changes that come with age.
Once it is determined to be Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) how should it be treated?
Correctly Understanding Your Degenerative Disc Disease Diagnosis
It’s not like there’s some sort of infection or something else causing your spine to literally degenerate and break down rapidly. Doctors rarely explain this fact, and the person hears the diagnosis and gets depressed, stops participating in activities, etc. This is the worst thing you can do with this issue, as it will only lead to deconditioning and further worsening of the pain.
Now, that’s not to say some people have advanced changes that are more concerning, but the majority of patients we see have what we would consider “expected” changes that may or may not have anything to do with the pain they are feeling at the time.
What we do not see on the imaging is what is going on with other structures in the area of pain. How do the joints move? Are the muscles tighter than they should be? Are they full of adhesions and trigger points?
Find The Root Causes Of Your Back Or Neck Pain
Then there are other questions, such as is the person doing something at work, while they are sleeping, etc. that could be putting excessive or repetitive strain on the area? How is their overall level of inflammation? Are they eating foods that could be doing the opposite of what medications do and increasing their pain and inflammation? Or maybe they have gut inflammation that is leading to body wide inflammation, which is then affecting certain areas triggering the pain (or at least contributing to it).
Remember Medication Is Just A Bandaid For (DDD) Back Pain
So, back to the idea of medications being a bandaid at best. We say this because if there are underlying issues, or root causes, that are contributing to to the pain and not being addressed, the medications will not work out well in the long term.
Side Effects Of Pain Medication For Your Back & Neck Pain
In fact, long-term use of these medications can lead to digestive, liver, and kidney issues, and they can even lead to an acceleration of the problem they are supposed to be treating!
3 Steps To Therapy For Degenerative Disc Disease
So, what should you do if you receive a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease, or if you find yourself with neck or back pain lasting more than a few months?
Step 1: Locate The Back/Neck Pain
First, think about if your current pain is really coming from the findings seen on imaging. If you’ve only had the pain a few weeks, or it comes and goes, or if the findings are in an area different than where you’re having the pain, or if you can poke your muscles and feel the same pain you have most of the time… chances are the spinal findings are incidental and/or are only a minor part of why you’re in pain.
When degenerative disc disease’s location is determined, it can be characterized as:
- Cervical degenerative disc disease: Found in the neck.
- Lumbar degenerative disc disease: Found in the lower back.
- Multilevel degenerative disc disease: Found in multiple areas of the spine.
Step 2: Change Your Diet
Second, commit to at least 3-4 weeks of dietary changes if you know your diet isn’t the best. Cut out all processed foods and sugary treats. Focus instead on lean proteins, veggies, nuts and seeds, and anti-inflammatory fruits such as blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Also, be consistent with fluid intake and aim for at least a half gallon of water each day.
Step 3: Consult A Professional Chiropractor
Finally, if all that fails, seek the opinion of an experienced Doctor of Chiropractic who addresses the whole body, bones and joints, muscles, and overall health.
PEAK’s Pain Relief Method For Your Degenerative Disc Disease
At PEAK Integrative Medicine, we follow our unique process we call the P.A.I.N. Relief method.
P = Pinpoint the Cause – We conduct a comprehensive evaluation to identify the source of the pain, what may trigger or aggravate the pain, and rule out significant underlying factors such as infection, autoimmunity, etc.
A = Address Dysfunction – We use chiropractic adjustments to help the joints move better, and Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization to break up muscle adhesion and trigger points.
I = Integrative Therapeutics – We use advanced, cutting edge interventions as needed to enhance healing and accelerate recovery. This include PEMF, Red Light Therapy, HBOT, Peptides, and Nutritional Supplementation.
N = Nuture Strength and Stability – Once out of pain, we promote exercises, stretches, and other activities to help reduce the chances of the issue returning, or keeping pain and discomfort at a minimum.
Learn more with PEAK’s Guide To Pain Relief.
Imagine waking up each morning without the nagging neck or back pain that’s been holding you back for months. Imagine being able to enjoy activities with your family again or simply sitting comfortably at your desk.
Contact PEAK For Therapy For Your Degenerative Disc Disease
If you’ve been diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease — or you have neck or back pain for any reason — Don’t wait for the pain to worsen. Give us a call today at 570-366-2613 and schedule your consultation!