What Is Degenerative Spine Disease?

Everyone is susceptible to degenerative spine disease. It is a common condition of growing old. Symptoms related to degenerative spine disease can appear as early as young adulthood. These symptoms can vary with some people. There is no one particular condition or cause for the disease, and it is merely a term that relates to all forms of degenerative spinal conditions. While it is a common condition, not very much is known about degenerative spine disease among the general public.

Definition

• Degenerative spine disease refers to any degenerative or degenerating condition concerning the spinal column and the bone and tissue of the spinal cord. There are different disorders encompassing the definition of this term, with varying symptoms and severity of symptoms associated with them. The more common conditions cause no symptoms at all and/or lessen in severity of pain over time.

Causes and Treatments

• There is no one cause for degenerative spine diseases. Sometimes they can be caused by the normal physical strain you experience throughout the day, and other times they can be caused by trauma. Though everyone is susceptible to having degenerative spine disease, some people may be more likely to develop symptoms than others. One of the more common symptoms for degenerative spine disease is lower back pains or pains in the neck, arms or legs. Symptoms will often vary in their nature and severity. Treatment for degenerative spine disease also varies, depending on the type of case involved. Some treatments involve rest and physical therapy, while others can become far more invasive, involving injections into the spine or surgery.

Types

• There are at least three common types of degenerative spine diseases. The herniated disc is a protrusion that occurs in the intervertebral disc, which appears between the vertebral bones in the spine. Herniated discs can be caused by trauma, but they can also be caused over time, inducing pain and compressing nerves. Herniated discs can appear in a number of places along the spine, but the most common are the lumbar herniated disc in the lower back and the cervical herniated disc in the neck. The less common forms of herniated discs are in the mid-back (thoracic herniated discs). The second form of degenerative spine disease is the spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis refers to the narrowing of the spinal canal caused by a swelling of tissue around the spine. This leads to the compression of nerves and spinal cord. The third form is spinal instability. This results when the spinal cord, which is normally stable, becomes too relaxed, leading to instability. This is a more severe form of degenerative spine disease because it can lead to serious injuries and possibly neurological damage.

Misconceptions

• There are some misconceptions about degenerative spine disease and what it actually means. This is because of the term's name. When most patients hear degenerative, they assume that this disease will worsen as they age. This is not always the case. Except in worst case scenarios, most degenerative spine diseases do not get worse over time. Degenerative actually refers to the degeneration of the disc itself, and not necessarily the symptoms sometimes associated with it. Disease is also a misapplied term because degenerative spine diseases are actually conditions of the spine and not diseases.

Expert Insight

• There are a number of disagreements within the medical field as to how to apply the term. Practitioners disagree over what actually comprises a diagnosis of degenerative spine disease. And medical textbooks don't have a definitive definition of the term either. Some forms of degenerative spine disease is common among adults, but experts don't always agree on varying aspects of the condition.