Degenerative Disc Disease Caused by Aging

Degenerative disk disease (DDD) develops as an outcome of the effects of aging in your back and particularly in your intervertebral discs.

Additionally, it may be associated with an injury to the back, but in that scenario, your disks have generally become weak because, with age, disks lose water content, may become thinner; both of which can change shape and the strength of one or more discs. Before you feel the result of DDD— other symptoms as well as pain — your discs along with other backbone constructions are changing. That is simply the natural consequence of the stress and tension each of us places our backs through every day.

Causes and Effects of DDD

Effects and the causes of degenerative disc disease are relatively clear-cut: You age, your disks change, your bones could be affected, and also you can develop pain. It even helps to think as a cause and effect process or cascade of DDD: One anatomical change happens, which leads to changes and more degeneration in the structures of your back. These changes combine to cause degenerative disk disease and its particular symptoms.

• DDD begins with changes in your intervertebral discs, but eventually it’s going to change another movement parts of the spine, like the facet joints.
• Over time, the collagen (protein) structure of the annulus fibrosus (that is the outer portion of the intervertebral disc) changes.
• Moreover, water-pulling molecules—and consequently water—in the disc declines.
• These changes decrease the ability to manage back move of the disc.

How Disc Degeneration Occurs

The disc can be less spongy and substantially thinner. A disc that is thinner means the space between the vertebra above and below the disc gets smaller, which causes a brand new problem, this time with all the facet joints. They help stabilize the back, and changes move, in the event the disc loses height. Subsequently the cartilage that protects the facets starts to wear away, and they start to proceed too much: They “override” and become excessively mobile.

Function of the Spine with Hypermobility

Freedom causes another change in your spine. It attempts to cease the motion with the growth of little bony parts called bone spurs (osteophytes). Sadly, the bone spurs sometimes pinch nerve structures and cause pain. The bone spurs can narrow the space for nerves and the spinal cord —that disorder is called spinal stenosis. Degenerative disc disease won’t cause spinal stenosis but it’s something you should be aware of if you’ve degenerative disc disease.

Genetics and DDD

Your genes can also raise your danger of developing degenerative disk disease. You might be predisposed to excessive joint and disc wear and tear, so if someone in your family has or had degenerative disk disorder, you may even develop back pain or neck pain related to DDD.

Controlling Your Lifestyle

Eventually, the method you are living could result in degenerative disk disease. Smoking, by way of example, will cause them to degenerate faster and adversely affects your disks. Smoking really decreases the level of water in your discs, and water is part of what helps your discs absorb move. With less water content, your intervertebral discs can wear out sooner.

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 . 

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

Additional Topics: What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic care is an well-known, alternative treatment option utilized to prevent, diagnose and treat a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the spine, primarily subluxations or spinal misalignments. Chiropractic focuses on restoring and maintaining the overall health and wellness of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, a chiropractor, or doctor of chiropractic, can carefully re-align the spine, improving a patient’s strength, mobility and flexibility.

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