How Can I Prevent My Degenerative Disc Disease from Worsening?

Degenerative disc disease is a condition that can cause back pain due to aging spinal discs, which can dry out and become flexible over time. As the name implies, degenerative disc disease is progressive and may worsen if you don’t manage it properly. Many people experience spinal stenosis because of degenerative disc disease, which is the narrowing of the spinal canal. Spinal stenosis causes nerve compression and often neck pain or low back pain. 

By age 65, around 20% of adults in the United States exhibit signs of disc degeneration. The rates increase with age. Many of them experience herniated discs, which happen when the soft gel-like inner portion of the disc protrudes out through the tough outer layer. 

No matter the level of progression, degenerative disc disease can impact your quality of life. This is especially true if you have nerve compression or nerve damage from degenerative or herniated discs. 

Fortunately, pain management experts Haddis T. Hagos, MD, and Brent Earls, MD, specialize in managing degenerative disc disease with advanced treatment and helping you prevent it from worsening. At Pain Management Associates LLC in Greenbelt, Maryland, Dr. Hagos and Dr. Earls diagnose degenerative disc disease with a comprehensive evaluation, which might include imaging tests before recommending treatment. 

In many cases, you can stop degenerative disc disease from progressing by altering your lifestyle. Here are our top tips: 

Be active and use proper body mechanics

One of our most important recommendations for managing and preventing degenerative disc disease is staying active. Strength training is important because it helps you strengthen the muscles that support your back and core. You should aim to get a decent balance of strength training or weight lifting, aerobic activity, and stretching in your routine. 

Regular physical activity can also help manage your weight, which is important as being overweight or obese is a risk factor for back problems including degenerative disc disease. 

Proper body mechanics and posture are important whether you’re exercising or sitting still. Employing proper body mechanics helps you avoid muscle imbalances that can increase wear in your spine and other joints. Our team can teach you the basics of proper body movement, ergonomics, and posture.

Mind your diet

A balanced diet can help you manage your weight, supply your tissues with the nutrients they need to function optimally, and generally improve your health. Our team can give you specific recommendations based on your health and needs. For example, they might recommend consuming more vitamin D-rich foods like fatty fish or mushrooms, or taking vitamin D supplements. 

You might also benefit from an anti-inflammatory diet. Avoid foods that trigger inflammation such as red meats, bread, pasta, sugary beverages, and processed foods. 

Avoid smoking

Listing the negative health effects of smoking could take all day, but for now, we’ll focus on how smoking affects your spinal discs. Smoking constricts your blood vessels, reducing the blood supply in your spinal discs. With restricted blood supply, your discs don’t receive the nutrients and hydration they require to function properly. 

Some studies suggest that smoking can increase pain perception and has perhaps its greatest influence on back pain. 

Get in touch for professional care

Dr. Hagos and Dr. Earls have the expertise and experience to provide you with care recommendations and professional treatment for degenerative disc disease. For additional support, call our office or request an appointment online.