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• Multilevel Degenerative Disc Disease

Multilevel Degenerative Disc Disease

Multilevel degenerative disc disease is commonly accepted as an age-related condition, however there are many successful treatments available so you do not have to live with pain. Degenerative disc disease is the gradual weakening and thinning of the spongy intervertebral discs that act as shock absorbers for the spine. This condition can occur at any level of the spine – cervical (neck), thoracic (middle back), and lumbar (lower back) – and cause a variety of symptoms ranging from local pain to numbness in the extremities.

Regardless the level of the spine it is found, degenerative disc disease is not necessarily symptomatic. Problems only arise when the discs have become weakened enough to be herniated or fragmented, often leading to a compression of neighboring nerve roots or the spinal cord.

When nerve tissue is impinged or pinched, a number of symptoms can become present. The most frequent and easily recognized symptom is local pain, but muscle weakness, numbness, tingling, sciatica and other ailments can all be potentially attributed to degenerative discs. Obviously, as the name suggests, multilevel degenerative disc disease is present at multiple sites along the spine and is often interconnected. Damage to one level can create a domino effect and put undue stress on other levels, leading to further problems.

Typically, doctors rely on conservative, nonsurgical treatments to manage the symptoms of degenerative disc disease with great effect. These treatments can include:

• Physical therapy or stretching and strengthening exercises
• Heat and ice packs
• Pain medication (either over-the-counter or prescription)
• Improved posture
• Weight management
• More

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However, when disc problems are present at multiple levels, surgery is also an option. Should the patient not respond to conservative treatments, open back surgery – like spinal fusion and artificial disc replacement – is often recommended to alleviate the patient’s pain. However, these surgeries are not always effective, have inherent risks, and require hospitalization and a lengthy rehabilitation process.

An alternative to traditional back surgery is endoscopic spine surgery. This minimally invasive, gentle procedure is done on an outpatient basis and can offer patients discernable relief without the numerous risks of open back surgery. To learn more about endoscopic spine surgery and how it can be used to treat multilevel degenerative disc disease, contact the expert staff at Laser Spine Institute (LSI) today and receive a free MRI or CT scan review.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.