Degenerative Disc Disease

[MAYNARDSMOM]

I just received results from a MRI on my lower back. Degenerative Disc Disease. I have yet to actually speak to my Dr yet & of course been looking around on the web about it. Anyone out there have this condition?

 

[Trixoo]

I just received results from a MRI on my lower back. Degenerative Disc Disease. I have yet to actually speak to my Dr yet & of course been looking around on the web about it. Anyone out there have this condition?

Maynardsmom -

I've been wondering how you've been doing, since a while back you mentioned you were being forced to take some time away from working out. I was, too, right around that same time although for different reasons, but am now back at it and was hoping you were, too. I don't know anything about this condition, but hope your doctor has productive suggestions that allow you to continue to be as active as you want (pain free).

I hope others on this forum have information for you.

Trixoo

 

[ReenaPP]

I have ddd (diagnosed via mri when I was 19 after a car accident); nothing you can really do about it. it is hereditary and I found out after getting the results that it runs in my father's family. With aging, there will be a breakdown of the spinal discs and there may or may not have pain associated with this breakdown. Having lived with it for almost 17 or so years, I can tell you it has not affected my physical activities whatsoever. I do pay special attention to doing exercises for the back (like supermans and deadlifts) to strengthen it as much as possible.
In a nutshell, for me it is a non issue. As I continue to get older, we'll see.
Hope your experience is similar in that it is a non-issue.
Good Luck.

 

[MAYNARDSMOM]

Thank you both for your replies. I have been able to workout since my rest week right before Thanksgiving. I actually just finished STS Meso 1 today. I am glad to hear that you are still active with this. I have a wonderful chiropractor (who is an IronMan competitor) who is going to look at the diagnosis & work with me through this. I would never really call it pain, mild at most but more discomfort. Moving is definitely more helpful than sitting which becomes very uncomfortable.
I admit I am very leery of lower back work. When you say you do these moves are you using light weight, listening to your body I assume? That is a difficult concept which I am learning to understand & embrace through this. Cathe's new yoga series in LIS is a Godsend with this. I am learning on a whole new level!
Thanks again ladies. I can always count on Catheletes!!

 

[Liann]

I just found out I have this as well. Mine is in the upper back though and affects my neck and left shoulder. It sounded pretty bad when I googled it and read up on it more, but my chiropractor said it's pretty common and not necessarily as bad as the name implies. They called mine "degenerative cervical disc disease". It isn't really a disease though and even though it's called degenerative, it will not necessarily continue to get worse. I have flare ups from time to time that usually start with tingling in my left hand. This last one in December got bad enough that they had to put me on pain meds to deal with it but it's never gotten that bad before. I've been going to a chiropractor and physical therapy. That and massage therapy seem to be helping although like the other poster said there really isn't a lot you can do. We are working on strengthening the areas around the problem to help keep things in check.

 

[rparker]

Hi there, My dad has been suffering from DDD since I was a little kid. I'm 30 now and it hasn't really slowed him down much. I guess he was lucky that it didn't de-generate that quickly.

 

[silbow]

I just found out I have this as well. Mine is in the upper back though and affects my neck and left shoulder. It sounded pretty bad when I googled it and read up on it more, but my chiropractor said it's pretty common and not necessarily as bad as the name implies. They called mine "degenerative cervical disc disease". It isn't really a disease though and even though it's called degenerative, it will not necessarily continue to get worse. I have flare ups from time to time that usually start with tingling in my left hand. This last one in December got bad enough that they had to put me on pain meds to deal with it but it's never gotten that bad before. I've been going to a chiropractor and physical therapy. That and massage therapy seem to be helping although like the other poster said there really isn't a lot you can do. We are working on strengthening the areas around the problem to help keep things in check.

I have it in my neck too. When I do have a serious flare up I go to the pain management doctor & get an epidural. The epidural used to last about a year for me, now they only last for about 3 to 4 months. I also go to a chiroptracor. I have had this for about 30 years & my doctors & I just keep an eye on it & I get yearly MRI. I do know that at some point I will need surgery
Karen

 

[MAYNARDSMOM]

I have it in my neck too. When I do have a serious flare up I go to the pain management doctor & get an epidural. The epidural used to last about a year for me, now they only last for about 3 to 4 months. I also go to a chiroptracor. I have had this for about 30 years & my doctors & I just keep an eye on it & I get yearly MRI. I do know that at some point I will need surgery
Karen

Karen,

yearly MRI's....yikes!!! Is that always necessary? I go next week, Mon for regular Dr Tues to Chiro to get their input. Will keep you posted. Thanks!

 

[MAYNARDSMOM]

I just found out I have this as well. Mine is in the upper back though and affects my neck and left shoulder. It sounded pretty bad when I googled it and read up on it more, but my chiropractor said it's pretty common and not necessarily as bad as the name implies. They called mine "degenerative cervical disc disease". It isn't really a disease though and even though it's called degenerative, it will not necessarily continue to get worse. I have flare ups from time to time that usually start with tingling in my left hand. This last one in December got bad enough that they had to put me on pain meds to deal with it but it's never gotten that bad before. I've been going to a chiropractor and physical therapy. That and massage therapy seem to be helping although like the other poster said there really isn't a lot you can do. We are working on strengthening the areas around the problem to help keep things in check.

I know what you're saying about it sounding bad. The nurse called with results at 5pm about 5 minutes before we were leaving to my son's basketball game. I didn't have much google time & was fighting back tears throughout the game. After reading up on it like you said I came to find it was quite common & not as bad as it sounds.
I can deal with massage therapy . Going nuts waiting to talk with my chiro, he is out of town this week! I am hopeful.
I will say this has made me focus on my eating more so than usual & the new Low Impact Series could not have come at a better time! They are very doable for me right now!

 

[Jenniferlove]

I recently was diagnosed with DDD and a herniated disk. Cathe's LIS came out just in time for me! I can still do Circuit Blast and other plyo-like workouts but on a limited basis and I have to modify some of the moves. Also, for me, I need to limit my Range of Motion during spinal extensions/Cobra pose - it's a learning process of trial and error; I don't want to make my spine angry