Diagnosis and Treatments for Degenerative Disc Disease in Birmingham and Hoover, Alabama

Patients who are diagnosed with degenerative disc disease may benefit from conservative care. This includes:

• Physical therapy: Working with a physical therapist can strengthen the muscles in the back, providing more support for the spine.
• Oral medications: Over-the-counter pain relievers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help manage symptoms.
• Injection treatments: Corticosteroid injections into the disc space can reduce inflammation, providing symptom relief.

In some cases, severe degenerative disc disease may require surgery. Southlake Orthopaedics does not rush to perform surgery and will always attempt to resolve pain with conservative care first. Surgical options include:

• Artificial disc replacement: This surgery replaces a worn or damaged disc with a prosthetic.
• Spinal decompression surgery: These procedures relieve pressure on the spinal nerves. Patients may need a discectomy, foraminotomy, or laminectomy.
• Spinal fusion: If less invasive procedures do not offer pain relief, a patient may require fusion surgery to connect two or more vertebrae.
• Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF): This procedure combines decompression and fusion surgery and is usually used for patients with significant neck pain. It involves removing the damaged disc and implanting a bone graft to fuse the cervical (neck) vertebrae.

Patients who are at high risk for degenerative disc disease may be able to take proactive steps to preserve their spine health. This includes avoiding tobacco, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying physically active. People who work in occupations that put stress on the spine should wear the proper safety equipment and use a back brace if needed.