Degenerative disc disease is a painful condition caused by the aging of the spine. The discs which are supposed to absorb shock from daily activities like walking, standing, and sitting at work cause severe pain in the back and lower regions like hips and legs. It also leads to loss of movement in the body as well as flexibility. Being a chronic problem it cannot be reversed easily but there are some ways you can follow to ease your discomfort and make that stiff body more flexible again. Some people may even go for surgery, but there are natural remedies available too which can help in reducing the pain associated with this condition.
Neck and upper back pain
This condition happens due to the weakening of the ligaments which are a major support system for the discs in your spine. The ligaments become weak due to over-use or injury and this leads to degeneration of the disc, thus causing pain. To deal with this kind of problem one can go through routine exercises that strengthen muscles surrounding the affected region. It is essential that you should learn how to correctly perform these exercises without causing more trouble and damage to your body. Another good thing about going for some exercise is it reduces the stress levels associated with this health issue and improves blood circulation too. Smoking, drinking alcohol or taking any other kinds of drugs should be avoided completely as they only aggravate your condition further.
Lower back pain:
Lower back pain is one of the main symptoms associated with degenerative disc disease. Again, these pains are caused due to the weakening of ligaments and muscles in this region. Instead of taking any type of medication which will only provide temporary relief you should do some simple stretching exercises and use heating gel packs or hot water bottles too. Identifying sources of your discomfort is a good idea as it will help in reducing stress levels. If there was an injury that occurred recently, exercising gingerly for the next few days can really make a difference in your condition. Lower back pain is often caused because of sitting in improper posture for long hours at work, so you need to change your working position every hour or two. Sitting on a chair that allows you to keep your spine, neck, and shoulders well aligned is the best idea. When driving a car use seat belts as they reduce the pressure on lower back muscles.
Leg pain:
Lower back pain can easily affect legs too, especially those people who suffer from sciatica problems due to degenerative disc disease. Correcting posture while sitting or standing will certainly ease this discomfort but if it doesn’t work it’s better to consult your physician immediately because there may be some more serious problem with nerves and discs in your spinal cord. However, leg pains are also caused due to strained muscles and ligaments so the focus should still remain on exercises that correct these postures. As much as possible avoid straining the muscles because that weakens them and leads to the formation of new injuries which further aggravates your lower back pain.
How to deal with degenerative disc diseases
Correct posture is really important in dealing with all these degenerative disc disease issues and having a strong physical support system like exercise will certainly help you stay away from pain caused due to this health problem. Back pains associated with degenerative disc disease can be treated effectively by following some simple exercises, good diets, and regular exercises. You should understand how the condition affects you, so it’ll be easy for you to know how much exercise is necessary for treating it. The best way forward to deal with this kind of problem is proper dieting as well as exercising regularly.
It is also advisable to learn some Yoga and Pranayama techniques as they will help you maintain proper balance in your body. Your diet should consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains as well as lean meat. Apart from this taking Omega-3 fatty acid supplements can be helpful too because they improve the elasticity of muscles and ligaments which are very important for dealing with back pains caused due to degenerative disc disease.