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Degenerative Disc Disease
What is Degenerative Disc Disease?DDD is certainly not a disease at all. It is merely the medical term for the completely normal and expected spinal aging process which affects the intervertebral discs. This process is especially noticeable in the lumbar and cervical spinal regions, where the majority of people experience mild to moderate degenerative changes by the age of 30. Many people see these changes far younger… The nomenclature used for this condition is very scary and a prime factor in the diagnostic nocebo effect suffered by every patient. However, most people do not know that disc degeneration is simply an unavoidable and asymptomatic part of getting older…Degenerative Disc Disease Facts* DDD can be blamed for sciatica, lower back pain and cervical pain. * DDD will never get better, since it is a progressive process. * DDD is rarely seriously symptomatic. * DDD begins about age 20 in most people. * The most common location for DDD is L4/5 and L5/S1. * DDD makes herniations more likely, but less symptomatic. * DDD is often found in conjunction with spinal osteoarthritis. Degenerative Disc Disease AdviceI talk to patients everyday who have been diagnosed with DDD as their main dorsopathy complaint. This is unacceptable to even consider upon seeing the MRI results, since their degenerative changes are no different than any other I have seen and typically far less than my own...DDD can exist in very extreme forms, but this is very, very rare. Even normal, but severe cases of disc degeneration are not typically problematic. Most DDD is simply an excuse for back pain conditions which have not be accurately diagnosed, due to inability or the purposeful ignoring of a psychosomatic causation by the physician. I was diagnosed with DDD by my first chiropractor at the tender age of 16. The way this guy explained the condition to me, I thought the world was ending. Speaking of significant nocebo effect… He definitely laid the framework for my house of pain (a house which was built by many care providers from a number of healing arts…) I was devastated to hear that my spine was in such poor shape at such as young age and it certainly does not surprise me that my pain worsened year by year until it virtually controlled my life. DDD is not the usual source of any pain or suffering. It is certainly not the typical cause of serious or chronic sciatica pain. DDD is simply a normal part of aging. The medical professionals hold on to a few examples of abnormal disc degeneration as proof that this condition can be problematic. In these extreme cases, they are correct. However, these patients are like finding a needle in a haystack, while the rest of us who have been diagnosed might as well have heard this… “Ok, Mr. Jones, I have diagnosed your back pain. It is due to your grey hair. It also might be due to some of those tiny wrinkles around your eyes.” This diagnosis is no more ridiculous than blaming severe chronic back pain on normal disc degeneration… 7/8/08 Revised 12/14/09
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