Degenerative disc disease
Does anyone have this condition and have you been told there is no treatment?
I have degenerative disc disease n its very painful in my low back
Yes I have this also. I have had it awhile. I had surgery on my cervical spine back in 2008.
One of my discs were so bad that I had surgery. Doctors took bone from my hip, removed the disc, and placed the bone in between C 6/7 fused it together with a titanium plate and screws. I will never be 100% better but I am 50% better. I can live with that
Has any doctor suggested a series of injections in the discs? I went through these but it was only a temporary fix.
I have this condition actually and yes thats what I was told as well.
I hate this feeling its painful n frustrating
I was told my case wasn't bad enough yet to consider any type of action or treatments? :But I feel like my other health issues are exacerbating this one so I don't know. I'm sorry all of you are dealing with this as well.
@Broken49 are you in the USA? I'm in the UK and it was a spinal surgeon that told me that no surgery or injections would help and that I need to not do anything awkward to make it worse! I'm 39 with young kids and I work and every day tasks are painful. He also said that they are only just doing trials of disc replacement so it would be many years before anything like that would be available. @MV074 as we are both members we are unable to chat other than in the forum I think.
Ah ok I'm also in the USA
Yes I am in the USA. I feel fortunate then to have had an experienced team of doctors. My doctors did tell me that the operation was risky because they went in from the front of my neck and the possibility of cutting into a nerve was a concern. I was in so much pain that I took the chance. So how do you handle the pain Emma?
I just take painkillers @Broken49 the discs that are affected are L3 & 4 so I don't know if that makes a difference regarding treatment not being available.
@emma
it could be the difference, I don't know. I still have to have therapy at times and use painkillers so the surgery was only somewhat effective. No matter where the location of the degeneration lies, it's very painful. Maybe sometime in the future doctors will be able to operate on you and help!!! It's awful to deal with, I'm sorry.
Yes I've heard that surgery isn't a complete cure. Did something in particular cause yours?
@Emma
I already had degeneration going on in 2004, but then I got rear ended by another car which made all of it worse. My doctor said it was like taking a baseball bat to an already injured area.
How about you?
If anyone would like to chat about this please click on my name.
@Broken49 mine was through working as a carer and repeatedly bending and twisting.
Oh, ok. I learned that degeneration can happen to anyone at any age. It's very painful to deal with as you already know!