Degenerative Disc Disease Back Pain Doctors NYC
The doctors of Manhattan Pain and Sports Associates are considered best in class back pain management specialists for degenerative disc disease. When the pain gets really bad, you’ll want to see your NYC pain management doctor. Back pain from degenerative disc disease can be debilitating, making normal activity nearly impossible. In some case, however, your spine may restabilize after it’s been damaged, leaving you with relatively little pain. Most likely, the damage worsens over time, and your pain comes and goes.
With age comes wisdom — the wisdom to know that your body is not as young as it used to be. After 50 or 60 years of pounding, walking, bending, twisting, walking, running and playing, your body, and especially your bones begin to show wear and tear. Degenerative disc disease is one of those ailments that strike just about everyone to some degree.
However, it is a misnomer; degenerative disc disease is not really a disease at all — but more of a medical condition that causes back pain because of the worn out discs in your spine. Instead of suffering and complaining about the pain of getting old, you can do something about it: limit the degree of damage you do and get pain management treatment.
How Your Spine Works
Discs work like shock absorbers between the bones or vertebrae in your spinal column. Discs allow your back to stay flexible and adapt to your movements as you work, play sports, exercise and generally live your life freely in motion. Discs are made up of two parts:
- The outer, tough layer that protects your nerves
- The soft, jelly-like substance in the core of the discs
When the outer layer is damaged or torn, your nerves may become impinged, causing pain. If the outer membrane is punctured or damaged, the core leaks out, seeping into the surrounding area and touching your nerves — and again, causing pain. Since there is no blood supply to your discs, they can’t heal by themselves and the pain worsens.
Risk Factors and Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease
By the time you reach middle age, a portion of the water inside the discs dries out, making them vulnerable. High-impact sports put you at a greater risk of damaging those weakened discs. And once they are injured, they become inflamed and unstable, leading to back pain that needs the attention of a pain management specialist.
Signs of degenerative disc disease to watch for as you age include:
- Back pain that gets worse when you lift, bend or twist
- Back pain that dissipates when you shift your sitting or lying position
- Back pain that lessens when you walk
- Back pain that worsens when you stand up after sitting for long periods of time
- Weak leg muscles or drop-foot
- Periods of nagging lower back pain that comes and goes over time and ranges from severe to uncomfortable
See Your NYC Back Pain Management Specialist
A pain management specialty group such as Manhattan Pain and Sports Associates can help you not only diagnose the source of your pain, but also find ways to manage it. While surgical options are available, conservative methods like physical therapy, steroidal injections, and prescription medication are employed initially, followed by epidural injections for pain relief.
Manhattan Pain and Sports Associates
51 East 25th St, 4th Floor, Ste B
New York, NY 10010
(212) 533-3954
