Arthritis and Back Pain

A herniated disc can lead to degenerative disc disease.

Three issues are the most common cause of back pain: Herniated disc, pelvic floor disorder, and degenerative disc disease (DDD). DDD is noteworthy because it is a category of conditions and because diagnosis correlates with age.

DDD means that spinal discs decrease in size, reducing the space between the vertebrae. Rarely will a person have DDD which does not cause stenosis and lead to arthritis. Arthritis is joint inflammation. Stenosis is the narrowing of space within the bone where nerves pass. Most people over the age of 50 will have Degenerative Disc Disease, stenosis or arthritis somewhere along the spine.

Symptoms include pain while standing or walking for a long period of time, with relief being found from sitting or bending forward. A sign of DDD is leaning on a shopping cart at the grocery store.

Successful treatments DDD, arthritis, and stenosis include traction, hands-on treatment and physical therapy exercise. This approach gets many people to pain-free or close-to-pain-free, along with keeping the pain from getting worse. Note, too, that relief can occur without long-term medications, injections or surgery!

As always, be sure to ask your doctor about your back pain and, unexplained numbness, weakness, or radiating pain. There is more hope for pain relief the sooner you address it.