Treatment and management of degenerative disc disease focuses on relieving the back pain, correction of the condition and prevention of complications. Treatment options are generally classified into two categories: the conservative or nonsurgical management and surgical.

To relieve back pain, non-steroidal anti – inflammatory drugs are prescribed by your physician. NSAIDs block the synthesis of prostaglandins, a chemical substance in the body that increases inflammation and pain. Analgesics increase your pain threshold. Muscle relaxant relieves muscle spasms and encourages muscle relaxation. An epidural steroid is injected to suppress the inflammatory reactions in the system, which decreases pain and swelling of the body tissues. It is used as an adjunct therapy in exercise programs. The right exercise program is prescribed by the physician, which more or less includes strengthening of the back muscles, abdominals and hips. Wearing of cervical collar or brace can reduce irritation of the nerves.

In moderate to severe cases of degenerative disc disease, bed rest is recommended and should be followed, as directed. Lying in bed reduces the loading and pressure on the compressed spinal cord or nerves. Traction might also be indicated in some cases to stabilize the damaged area of spine column. These interventions are done to relieve pain and regain comfort from spasms and aches.

When conservative measures are not able to relieve the symptoms, and the neurological deficits jeopardizes the vital functions and quality of the life, surgeries are recommended. A corpectomy is usually done to remove a part of the vertebrae as a means to release the compressed spinal nerves, resulting in alleviation of the back pains. Laminoplasty is another surgical technique that removes the spinous processes, the attachment site of the spinal muscles to make room for the compressed spinal cord and nerves, which can also alleviate the pain. Spinal fusion is also used as a surgical treatment of degenerative disc disease, which encourages stability of the damaged spine by joining of two or more bones together to form a new bone growth.

What is Degenerative Disc Disease?