Degenerative Disc Disease & Arthritis
Arthritis and degenerative disk disease are separate conditions. While there is no known cause of degenerative disk disease, having arthritis can contribute to its development. The symptoms you experience with degenerative disk disease can be painful enough on their own, but they can be worse if you have arthritis. Understanding these diseases and knowing what steps to take to manage them will help you minimize their effects on your life and daily routine.
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Degenerative Disk Disease
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Degenerative disk disease occurs in the vertebrae of the spine. The picture above shows a normal disk on the top and a disk with DDD on the bottom. In a spine without DDD, there is a disk in between the vertebrae that acts as a shock absorber and allows your spine to move. In DDD, this disk dries out and shrinks. This occurs in everyone to some extent, since our disks naturally wear out and lose fluid as we age. However, in some cases, it leads to a condition where the bones of the vertebrae rub together, and there can be pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves that run through it. It is most common in the low back and neck.
Osteoarthritis
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The symptoms of osteoarthritis include morning stiffness, feeling stiff after periods of inactivity and possible back pain. Osteoarthritis occurs due to the wearing away of the cartilage between the vertebrae and can cause bone to rub on bone. Over time, this leads to the development of bone spurs, which place pressure on the nerves that travel through the spinal column. All of the above can lead to the development of DDD. This picture from the Mayo clinic shows the development of bone spurs typical in osteoarthritis.
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Symptoms
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The symptoms of DDD vary greatly. You may have pain that is mild or quite severe. In some cases, the pain may radiate into your buttocks or down one or both legs. For some, it feels like pressure in the spine, while others experience a burning sensation. If there is pressure on a nerve, you may also experience numbness or tingling in areas of the body, and if the nerve is compressed, you may have muscle weakness. If you have some form of arthritis in addition to DDD, your symptoms may also include stiffness, swelling or joint tenderness and loss of flexibility.
Diagnosis
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Osteoarthritis can be diagnosed through x-rays, which will show the bony changes to the spine. This is combined along with a physical examination, which can reveal stiffness and tenderness. Degenerative disk disease can also be diagnosed through a physical exam--however, your doctor will also look for nerve impingement symptoms such as numbness, tingling, muscle weakness or impaired reflexes. A history of your symptoms can also help your doctor differentiate between the two conditions.
Treatment
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For both degenerative disk disease and osteoarthritis of the spine, a period of rest, to allow your symptoms to ease up, is recommended. Losing weight takes unnecessary pressure off the spine. Getting regular, gentle exercise or physical therapy can help you move correctly, without aggravating your symptoms, and can prevent stiffness. Over-the-counter or prescription medications can manage your pain.
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Resources
- Photo Credit http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-DDD.htm
